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Writer's pictureRobert Austin

EBFL Premier Division Match Report (12/02/2022): Hype Train FC vs. Singh Sabha Slough FC


Hype Train FC will be playing across both Saturday and Sunday next season, with the team competing in the East Berkshire Football League and the Reading & District Sunday League. You can follow all of the team's season coverage right here as we provide match reports and photo galleries from our third season as a club! All aboard.


Match Report: Hype Train FC vs. Singh Sabha

Date: Saturday 12th February 2022

Competition: EBFL Premier Division (Game 6)

Opposition: Singh Sabha Slough FC

Location: Calcot Recreation Ground, Calcot, Reading, RG31 4XD

Final Score: Hype Train FC 0-7 Singh Sabha Slough FC

Photographer: Sam Austin (@HypeTrainSam)


Match Report:

Our encounter against Singh Sabha was the team's latest home outing in the East Berkshire Football League (EBFL) Premier Division this season, with this being the first time we have taken on the visiting side in competitive action, only playing once in a pre-season friendly in 2019. This was also the team's 6th outing in the division this season.


The game started with a host of chances for the away team, and some of the most silly and sloppy goals the club will ever concede. First, before the 10th minute a low free-kick evaded most of the team, with Vince van Lembergen attempting to clear the ball away, with the skipper's attempts going goal bound and eventually cleared off the line, but rebounded back in.

With the game at 1-0, we had several chances to draw level. The first came from a Robert Austin free-kick, which was whipped in initially as a cross, was carried due to the wind and forced the opposing keeper into a save as the effort was tipped over. From the resulting corner, Sam Bolwell's delivery was nodded downwards by the team, with Callum Gibbons rifling a shot at the Sabha keeper from eight-yards-out, with their keeper making a great diving save to his left to deny an equalising effort.

From a second corner minutes later, a cross by George Holloway reached Bolwell at the back post, with Bolwell's low drive saved superbly by the Sabha keeper yet again.


Sabha's second goal came 15 minutes in, and again it went in off our own man, when the visiting side worked their right flank, eventually getting a cross into a crowded area. The ball unfortunately deflected off Gibbons and into the net - compounding an early start with absolutely no luck. Sabha then added a 3rd almost immediately as there was a mix-up from kick-off, with Sabha capitalising to tap into an empty net.


The game was 4-0 shortly afterwards as Sabha played a short corner to their Number 2, with their attacker flying in a cross that caught the win and went in off the far-post - again another unfortunate and unlucky goal for the team to concede.


Sabha's next trio of goals were all very similar, rebounds to saves from Dan Bone, which were converted at the second time of asking, spread out throughout the second-half.


Our best chances for a goal in the game came when the Sabha keeper saved from Owen Jones just inside the penalty area, whilst an Austin cross at the death was headed narrowly over by Phil Newport at the back post.


The loss means that after 6 games of the Premier Division played, the team remain in 9th place, with several games in hand over teams above us in the league. Next Saturday on 19th February, the team return to league action yet again as we host KS Gryf at Calcot Recreation Ground.



Thoughts from Club Secretary, Robert Austin:

"Today wasn't all bad for the side, even though the score says otherwise. We largely gifted Sabha their chances, with virtually every day massively avoidable. Just a very bad day of sloppy mistakes and fortunate goals that really set the teams apart. Luck was not on our side on a day when we had a small squad that battled well and tried not to get our heads down after a difficult start to the game. We did have some chances, well saved in the end by an inspired Sabha keeper, but ultimately it was a long afternoon for the boys.


Thanks to all of the players that showed up and put in their all - we'll correct our mistakes and if we concede that number of sloppy goals as we did today, we'll break a world record. Only thing to do is move forward and look to build on the good elements from a game against a good side.


All credit goes to Sabha on a good performance. It's a win that their Manager Zuf said flattered them slightly, and we matched them well for periods, but nonetheless it was a decent win for them and deserved on the day. Hopefully we have gotten out all of our mistakes so the score doesn't look so lop-sided in the reverse fixture.


Lastly, well done to the referees today. Nick Phillips, Leslie Langham, and Rory Nosworthy had a great game officiating in what was a well-mannered affair between the teams."


Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad

Manager: Robert Austin


Starting 11:

GK: Daniel Bone


DEF: George Fradgley

DEF: Callum Gibbons (Jones 75')

DEF: Vince van Lembergen (C)

DEF: Robert Austin


MID: Ash Ali

MID: Ryan Knott

MID: George Holloway

MID: Sam Bolwell

MID: Owen Jones (Basden 63')


FOR: Phil Newport


Substitutes:


SUB: Danny Basden



Want to know more about The Hype Train?

The Hype Train is an entertainment website founded in 2015, specialising in general football and Fantasy sports reporting, starting with Fantasy Premier League (FPL), before expanding to MLS Fantasy coverage in 2018.

We pride ourselves in providing beautiful graphics, statistics, in-depth analytical reporting and free weekly insight for hopeful players attempting to climb rankings tables. We are also occasional media reviewers, with a keen interest to review games, live sport, and professional wrestling.

In 2019, Hype Train Football Club was formed, becoming the first Fantasy Football website to take to the field. HTFC is a socially active team across social and web channels, providing regular match highlights, match reports, comprehensive player statistics and unique player profiles. We won both Goal of the Season Awards in the Berkshire and County FA regions, with Callum Parr-Jones winning the Berks & Bucks FA award, whilst Martin King won the PlaySport UK award. In 2021, we formed the Reading Sunday Social League (RSSL), a competitive Sunday League involving 8 teams in its debut season.

The Hype Train were nominated and shortlisted for the 'Best Football Blog' in 2016 by the Football Bloggers Association at their annual Football Blogging Awards (The FBA's), and were again shortlisted as a finalist in 2019 in the 'Best Fantasy Football Blog' category.

You can follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, follow Hype Train FC on Instagram, subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive content, visit our club's dedicate website, or visit our website here at www.thehypetrain.co.uk

Believe The Hype!



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