Welcome aboard the home of Hype Train Football Club. Here, you can read the match reports from the train's outing across Saturday & Sunday League action throughout the 2023/24 season, with the team competing in the East Berkshire Football League (EBFL) and the Reading & District Sunday League (RDSL). All aboard.
Match Report: Hype Train FC
Date: Sunday 6th August 2023
Competition: Pre-Season Friendly
Opposition: South Reading FC
Location: Whitley Wood Recreation Ground, RG2 0SH
Final Score: South Reading FC 7-0 Hype Train FC
Photographer: Sam Austin
Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk
Match Report:
The train's encounter against South Reading was the team's 3rd pre-season friendly ahead of the 2023/24 season, with the team on the road to Whitley Wood Recreation Ground. This was the first time we have faced a South Reading side, with the team taking on their EBDL Division One outfit.
The first 20 minutes of the game for both teams was an open affair as both teams looking to play with the ball, but for us was highlighted by a head-to-head collision which saw central defender, Joe Sawyer, taken off after a big bruise appeared on his forehead. Shortly after in the 21st minute, from a throw in on their left wing the ball dropped invitingly at the edge of the penalty area, with South Reading's Number 6 firing in a powerful shot to the roof of the net for the lead.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 35th minute when an attack down the left saw a cross cut back to Jordan Sawyer, who beat his marker and put the ball over Robert Austin to score a lovely placed effort, into the roof of the net.
The second-half saw the team go in with a 2-0 game to chase, but due to some injuries and a small squad, we ran out of legs to South Reading's benefit. This led to former Hype Train player, Shane Cooper-Clark - who was part of the team's Presidents Cup winning team in 2022 - taking the ball past a few chasing defenders down their left, before powering home a close ranged effort.
It was 4 for our opponents in green and yellow during the 52nd minute and started when a long ball forward would eventually go out on the left for a throw, though neither the ref or the linesman on South Reading's side adjudged the ball to go out. Adamant it did (VEO confirms the ball went out of play), the team switched off with the ball eventually falling out to Cooper-Clark at the edge of the penalty area, who turned on to his left and fired in a well-placed effort into the bottom-left corner.
Cooper-Clark then completed his hat-trick in the 54th minute when a loose giveaway in our defensive third was collected by a South Reading player, who then played through Cooper-Clark to slot home simply for their 5th goal of the day.
The final damage to the team first happened in the 82nd minute when a clinical finish to the top-left corner capitalised on a defensive error as we weren't able to clear our lines, whilst the 7th was a long range lob that caught our goalkeeper off in his line in the 87th minute, secured a comfortable and deserved win for South Reading.
Next up for the train, we make the short trip to Coley Recreation Ground to take on FC Whitley Wood in our fourth pre-season encounter of the season on Sunday 13th August 2023.
Thoughts from Club Secretary, Robert Austin:
"Right off the bat having had a lot of time to reflect the game, I'd like to thank South Reading for organising the game, and to congratulate them on a good performance. They have been playing together for a while and it shows; they made good movements off the ball, passed the ball well and had some great finishing on the day that really put us to the sword.
As for ourselves, it was a non-starter of a game. We were putting odd pieces together all afternoon and it proved to just be an exercise of fitness by the end. We also suffered a few injuries in the game that limited our ability to make any effective games. These things happen though and we just have to brush off a bad day at the office - all teams go through them, and we will recover. Fortunately it is only pre-season and hopefully won’t be a reflection of the season.
To end, I have to be critical of the EBFL here. Somehow South Reading are in a division below us next season, but in reality it should be the other way around. They are a class act and have some good players that can compete, but somehow despite rejoining the league the same time, with a completely set-up, the league have seen it fit for us to be in their Premier Division. The logic just doesn't make sense and in the future they need to properly vet teams for their levels and abilities."
Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad
Manager: Robert Austin
Starting 11:
GK: Robert Austin
DEF: Anwar Mmanga
DEF: Joe Sawyer (Marshall 20')
DEF: Jose Ferreira
DEF: Leo Periera
MID: Alex Anyiam-Osigwe (Pratts 55', Anyiam-Osigwe 78')
MID: Waqar Janjua
MID:Â Mitchell Saunders
MID: Will Longmatey
FOR: Owen Jones (Boateng 46')
FOR: Ciaran Carolan (Jones 62')
Substitutes:
SUB: Chris Marshall
SUB: Roger Pratts
SUB: Eme Boateng
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. During the 2021/22 season, we won our first-ever trophy, lifting the East Berkshire Football League's Presidents Cup!
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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