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: Wokingham & Emmbrook FC vs. Hype Train FC
Date: Friday 1st October 2021
Competition: Mid-Season Friendly Report
Opposition: Wokingham & Emmbrook FC Development
Location: ESSC, Lowther Road, Wokingham, RG41 1HY
Final Score: Wokingham & Emmbrook FC Dev 1-5 Hype Train FC
Photographer: Sam Austin (@HypeTrainSam)
Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk
Match Report:
Our encounter against Wokingham & Emmbrook's development side was the team's maiden outing in the EBFL Premier Division this season, with the team playing their first-ever game on a Friday night - with the game played in great conditions on a velvet pitch at Wokingham's Lowther Road ground.
The game didn't take long to get going, with the team, playing in our green Kitlocker PowerUp strip, taking the lead after only 4 minutes on the watch played. Defending well, Gino Izzo did brilliantly to collect the ball and turn in the middle of the park, playing the ball to Sam Paddon on the left-flank, who fed Phil Newport in a central channel, with the attacker shrugging off the advances of his chasing defender before sizing up a shot in the far-right corner which the Wokingham keeper had no chance of saving.
Virtually straight from the resulting kick-off we won back possession of the ball and mounted another attack, with Leon Mannion carrying the ball into the penalty area, before being dragged down on the by-line. Mannion stepped up to clinically bury the resulting spot-kick to the keeper's right, again leaving the Wokingham custodian no chance of making the save.
A third goal didn't take too long to follow, with the game running away from the hosts after only 12 minutes played. With a low defensive block, we won back possession after a loose ball, with George Fradgley given time to pick out Mannion's head with a long ball forward, with Mannion's flick finding Newport. Turning on to his left-foot when in the box, Newport looped a shot to the keeper's far-right to further extend the team's lead.
Out of sight by the 34th minute, our night under the lights saw another goal, this time from substitute Owen Jones! The play started when Callum Gibbons combined with Newport in the middle of the park, who turned and found Mannion. Ushered to the right of the pitch, Mannion retained the ball and sliced a right-footed cross towards the edge of the box, with Jones connecting expertly with his head, with the effort too high and looped for the opposing keeper to get anything on.
Starting the brighter of the teams in the second-half, Wokingham found the net themselves in the 52nd minute when a period of pressure finally paid off. They had a target man in the Number 6 shirt who did well to turn and find their Number 8, who shot from range. Jack Roche got two hands to it, but the ball creeped over Roche and trickled into the net, giving the hosts a goal on the night.
After weathering a sustained period of pressure, the postage stamp on a five-star performance was put on in the 79th minute when Sam Paddon intercepted a ranged ball from the Wokingham keeper, who was playing out from the back. Paddon's interception found Newport, who played in Mannion who held off the challenge of the defenders in orange before powering home another clinical effort.
The win means that the club have won both of our weeknight evening fixtures by a margin of 5-1, with the team's outing against Phoenix Old Boys in August 2019 the first. The win is also the club's first outing in a Saturday League context since the end of August due to the start of our season being delayed.
Thoughts from Club Secretary, Robert Austin:
"The club have never played on a Friday night before, with the boys buzzing for the game, and we took that excitement into the game and delivered a commanding performance, particularly in the first-half, to ensure that we had a night to remember.
A blistering start set the pace for a good evening and it was a lead that a young Wokingham team weren't really able to overcome. The second-half provided a stiffer challenge for the team as they had more fresh legs and energy to last the entire game. They had a period in the first twenty-five minutes of the second-half where they were in control, though we did well to steady the ship and get that killer goal that settled the contest. Largely though I have no complaints, our application and clinical nature in front of goal was fantastic and we deserved the result on the night.
I'd just like to thank Wokingham's Chairman and their Management staff for the invite for the game under the lights, and for the hospitality after the game too - it was a great evening for all those involved and a game played in the right spirit. We will see you guys down the line, for sure!"
Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad
Manager: Robert Austin
Starting 11:
GK: Jack Roche
DEF: George Fradgley
DEF: Joe Sawyer (Marshall 46')
DEF: Callum Gibbons (Sawyer 55')
DEF: Robert Austin
MID: Graham High (Jones 27', Paddon 55')
MID: Matt Snell
MID: Gino Izzo (Knott 52')
MID: Phil Newport
MID: Sam Paddon (High 55', Jones 75')
FOR: Leon Mannion
Substitutes:
SUB: Ryan Knott
SUB: Owen Jones
SUB: Chris Marshall
Goals and Assists:
Goal 1: Newport goal, Paddon assist
Goal 2: Mannion goal, no assist
Goal 3: Newport goal, Mannion assist
Goal 4: Jones Goal, Mannion assist
Goal 5: Mannion Goal, Newport assist
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!
