Pre-Season Team Report (26/07/2025): Hype Train FC vs. Maidenhead Town FC Reserves

Welcome aboard the home of Hype Train Football Club. Here, you can read the match reports from the Train's outings across Saturday League action throughout the 2025/26 season, with the team competing in the Thames Valley Premier League (TVPL). All aboard.

Match Report: Hype Train FC

Date: Saturday 26th July 2025

Competition: Pre-Season Friendly

Opposition: Maidenhead Town FC Reserves

Location: Waingels College, Woodley, Reading, RG5 4RF

Final Score: Hype Train FC 5-6 Maidenhead Town FC Reserves

Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk

Match Report:

The Train's encounter against Maidenhead Town FC Reserves was our 1st pre-season fixture of the 2025/26 season, ahead of our maiden season in the Thames Valley Premier League (TVPL), where the team will compete in TVPL Division One. This was our first encounter against any Maidenhead Town FC outfit.

In a game of football of a dozen chances for both teams, the opening goal of the game took to arrive. A long ball by a Maidenhead was collected and passed to Ashley Rockall, who had the time to find the feet of Connor Anderson, who turned on the ball and with the outside of his boot threaded a splitting pass for Leon Mannion to run onto - the Forward then made no mistake with a low drive with his second touch to open the scoring.

The encounter settled down and the visitors grew into the game and were gifted an opportunity to draw level in the 22nd minute after the team failed to clear the ball from a set-piece, with a visiting player getting in front of Eme Boateng, who committed a soft foul for the award. The resulting penalty was converted well by the Maidenhead Number 9 to Robert Austin's right side to draw the game level.

In the midst of a large downpouring of rain at Waingels, The Train switched off for several minutes and somehow found ourselves 4-1 down at half-time after a poor 3-minute spell. First in the 30th minute, a well-placed strike by the visiting Number 7 from outside the box flashed across goal and went in via the post. Then in the 32nd minute, Austin cleared a long ball forward, but in the rain the effort was scuffed and exposed our goal as Maidenhead's left winger converted into an empty goal, and then directly from kick-off we lost possession and were caught off guard as another strike from range was well converted for Maidenhead's 4th goal in the 33rd minute.

The second-half saw an upturn by the hosts and we scored a second goal in the 57th minute, starting when Nadim Gharabli won the ball back in midfield after a stray pass on Maidenhead's left was intercepted. Gharabli then released the ball to Kaao Ka on his debut, who drove with the ball forward before freeing Anderson on the left wing, who beat his man down the line before firing a low effort that squeezed through the opposition goalkeeper.

The Train had belief of a comeback in the 65th minute when from a Maidenhead goal kick, Boateng squeezed onto his marker to win the ball back, with Ka picking up the ball, driving into the penalty area, staying composed to beat a trailing defender, before slotting home the finish.

A chance for an equalising effort would arrive in the 70th minute when good interplay down the left between Mannion and Boateng saw Luke Follington turn on the ball on the left of the penalty area, playing in Boateng, who when shooting was followed through by a Maidenhead boot for the award of a penalty. Mannion stepped up to convert the spot kick for his second goal as Hype Train drew level.

Just as the team drew level, the visitors took a 5-4 lead in a matter of minutes later, though to our objection. Rockall in defence was shielding the ball out for a goal kick before he was shoved in the back, allowing the Maidenhead player to win the ball back and cross the ball, which was converted on the half volley - this resulted in the referee sin binning both Rockall and Kieron White for objecting the decision to award the goal, meaning we played a portion of the game with 9 players.

Whilst down to 9-men, we managed to draw the game level, with the play starting when Mannion did well to put pressure on the opposing defence and goalkeeper to win a corner. Ka took a quick corner with Mannion, which eventually saw Ka loft a cross towards the back post, with Follington rising highest and powering home a header to again draw the game level with our 5th goal.

Then in the 90th minute a winner would arrive for Maidenhead after a cross on their left flank was converted when Noah Hodge, who played for Hype in our debut 2019/20 season, lofted a header home from close range, that evaded Austin in goal on his line. A breathless start to pre-season with an 11-goal game, against a good and well-drilled opposition. Best of luck for the season, Maidenhead!

Next up, The Train are back in pre-season action on Saturday 2nd August 2025, with the squad currently set to host Westwood Wanderers Reserves at Waingels College.

Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad

Manager: Robert Austin

Starting 11:

GK: Robert Austin

DEF: Eme Boateng (Mmanga 46', Saunders 80')

DEF: Mark Bush (White 46')

DEF: Ashley Rockall (C)

DEF: Leo Pereira (Boateng 63, Bush 72')

MID: Conall Gorman (Burles-Nash 58')

MID: Sam Rodriguez (Geraghty 56')

MID: Nadim Gharabli

MID: Mitchell Saunders (Ka 50')

MID: Connor Anderson (Follington 58')

FOR: Leon Mannion (Anderson 85')

Substitutes:

SUB: Anwar Mmanga

SUB: Ryan Geraghty

SUB: Brad Burles-Nash

SUB: Luke Follington

SUB: Kaao Ka

SUB: Kieron White

Goals & Assists:

Goal 1: Newport (goal), Halsall (assist)

Goal 2: Anderson (goal), Newport (assist)

Goal 3: Boateng (goal), Newport (assist)

Goal 4: Anderson (goal), Gharabli (assist)

Goal 5: Mmanga (goal), Newport (assist)

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