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. AFC Cressex
Date: Saturday 23rd April 2022
Competition: EBFL Premier Division (Game 10)
Opposition: AFC Cressex
Location: Calcot Recreation Ground, Calcot, Reading, RG31 4XD
Final Score: Hype Train FC 0-0 AFC Cressex
Photographer: Sam Austin (@HypeTrainSam)
Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk
Match Report:
Our encounter against AFC Cressex was the team's latest home outing in the East Berkshire Football League (EBFL) Premier Division this season, with the team taking on Cressex for the second time in competitive action, with the train beating our visitors 5-2 in the quarter-finals of the Ascot & Fielden Charity Cup in our 2019/20 debut season. This was also a preview of the EBFL Presidents Cup final on May 7th at Burnham FC, with both teams advancing to the final after good cups runs.
The only minute of the game was frantic and fast for the train as we won a throw in straight away from kick-off on the left flank, with Robert Austin throwing down the line to Leon Mannion. Marked by two, Mannion beat two defenders, before a third cleared the ball, but only to Austin who set himself before delivering a fast cross across the box that was headed on target by Phil Newport - the headed effort though was saved excellently by the Cressex goalkeeper and collected on the line as the initial save bounced and bobbled around.
The team were then reduced to 10-men for a Sin Bin when Phil Newport was brought down inside the penalty area, with the winger incensed at the referee's call to play on, which allowed Cressex to come into the game and settle down into the occasion.
The 10 minutes down to 10-men saw Cressex try their luck from long range several times, without any of their multiple chances being able to test Jamie Halsall in goal. Midway through the half though, one of Cressex's attackers beat the offside trap, put the ball in the net but had the goal ruled out, with the team getting away with one due to the call of the league appointed linesman.
A back-and-forth first-half ended with Newport and Mannion testing themselves, as well as a corner-kick by Callum Fox-Spence evading the slightest touch from anyone, as both teams went into half-time equal.
The second-half was more tactical in the sunshine at Calcot Recreation Ground, with Mannion coming close twice, with Cressex cutting the ball back from the byline in the last few minutes, with the cross inches away from meeting the touch of an on-rushing Cressex attacker, with both teams settling for a tactical draw in an even league game.
The win moved the team up to 16 points from 12 games in EBFL's Premier Division and above Frontline FC into 7th placed in the table, with multiple games in hand on the teams above. Next up for the team on Saturday's, we travel out to Slough to take on KS Gryf in the reversal of the team's 4-1 home win just a few weeks ago, which is the team's final game before the Presidents Cup final against Cressex at Burnham FC's 1878 Stadium on Saturday 7th May 2022.
Thoughts from Club Secretary, Robert Austin:
"Sitting down to write the match report, I struggled finding more than a few key talking points to comb over, and that's because in truth this was a fairly even game of football, a tactical battle really, against two teams that are trying to size one another up ahead of our cup final against each other on May 7th - so in truth, a draw is a largely expected result that really does set the stage for the final well - both teams have a lot to learn as we look to get preparations in place for the day.
What we did well was defend against two attackers, limiting Cressex to only a couple clear-cut chances and a lot of efforts from range. Then in attack, we were slow getting up the gears and just didn't have enough to crack a well organised outfit that liked to get the ball down and play some nice stuff across the park. We did though have the more clear-cut chances to open the scoring, but their goalkeeper made a couple of terrific saves to keep the game level.
Well played to Cressex though and thanks for making the journey out to us, it was a really good afternoon of football and let's hope both can push on to have an incredible cup final in a few weeks’ time!"
Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad
Manager: Robert Austin
Starting 11:
GK: Jamie Halsall
DEF: George Fradgley
DEF: Joe Sawyer
DEF: Vince vsn Lembergen
DEF: Robert Austin
MID: Jon Watkins (Setiawan 70')
MID: Chris Marshall
MID: Callum Fox-Spence
MID: Gino Izzo (Ali 75')
MID: Phil Newport
FOR: Leon Mannion
Substitutes:
SUB: Dany Setiawan
SUB: Ash Ali
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
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