Hype Train FC were back on the road in our change green Kitlocker PowerUp kit as we continued our return to the field, continuing our 2020/21 pre-season campaign by visiting fellow EBFL Division 1 outfit, Old Windsor FC's Reserves outfit. Read the match report from our fifth away trip in the off-season as we made the visit to the Recration Ground in Old Windsor. All aboard.
Match Report: Old Windsor FC Reserves vs. Hype Train FC:
Date: 5th September 2020
Competition: Pre-Season Friendly
Opposition: Old Windsor FC
Location: Recreation Ground, Saint Luke's Road, Old Windsor SL4 2QX
Final Score: Old Windsor FC Reserves 3-1 Hype Train FC
Photographer: Sam Austin (@HypeTrainSam)
Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk
Match Report:
Our 1pm kick-off away in Old Windsor was under the bright sun on a narrow pitch, with the hosts starting the stronger of the two sides. The referee was quick with the whistle to his lips when an Old Windsor attacker fell in the box when Colins Akemche stuck out a leg in the penalty area. Their Number 7, Brad Birchmore, stepped up to take the penalty and hit his effort to low to Jack Roche's right, with our shot-stopper getting a hand on the ball, though he was unable to stop the effort from squirming into the net for the opening open.
Windsor went close from a corner that flashed past the far-post before they doubled their lead after the twenty-minute mark when Marin Pendov lost possession of the ball deep in our half, catching the team off guard, with their Number 11 squeezing a low curling effort into the near-post.
Getting to grips with the occasion we had a couple of nearly moments to peg a goal back before half-time, first when Sammy Seville's darting run from the right ended with a flashed shot that forced a save from the Old Windsor goalkeeper, Mitchell Groves. Second, Clayton Holloway's half-volley forced a good block out of their central defenders, before Robert Austin's back-post cross was headed on target by Chris Marshall, with the effort tipped over the bar by Groves.
We had one player making their debut, with Sam Bolwell introduced in central midfield in the second-half, with Bolwell making an instant impact within fifteen minutes with a goal on his debut. Sammy Seville controlled a diagonal ball across the pitch well and ran his channel before his cross was half-cleared by an Old Windsor defender, with Bolwell collecting the ball and firing well from range to get the team back into the occasion.
Dom Clarke forced a save from their shot-stopper, with Dany Setiawan keeper the parried ball alive, though the Indonesian attacker was unable to wriggle the ball into the back of the net.
With just more than twenty minutes left on the clock the hosts were able to restore their two-goal advantage when a throw-in from their right-channel fell invitingly for a forward to stab the ball back to a midfielder to smash into the far-post.
With time passing, the game became scrappy as Old Windsor closed out the friendly with three yellow cards and their Number 6 ending the game in the Sin Bin, with our squad unable to make the most of multiple set-piece opportunities to add to Bolwell's lone goal.
Thoughts from Player Manager, Robert Austin:
"After a year of being denied playing Old Windsor in our debut season, I'm glad we were able to touch base with a very strong community club this pre-season. I've got a good relationship with Gary and Luke Wade and their club is run very well, with them able to field a couple of strong sides.
Individual errors and some sloppy play cost us today, though fortunately these are the times, if any, to iron out mistakes. We've lost a lot of players the past months as the Covid-19 pandemic rages on, be it for wanting to take a cautious step back, or being forced away from the Reading area and back home, and as a club have had to heavily recruit to get into a position just to be playing - so every outing is a blessing, especially given the uncertain times we're living in.
We're still gelling as a unit and new understandings across the pitch are being established. The hosts had this understanding and punished our every mistake and from minute one were aggressive and played out of their skin to get the win. We had pockets where we created some dangerous moments and perhaps should have scored more ourselves, though I'm confident the goals will come with time and a bit of composure.
We're back training on 4G next week and have the use of our home pitch at Calcot, so I'm personally hoping to get in a couple of home games before we start our season after our fifth journey down the M4 to the Slough region.
Congratulations to our new midfielder, Sam Bolwell, for scoring on his debut, and also to the hosts on a good win earlier this afternoon - it was well deserved. We look forward to the league matches later in the season when the season gets going (hopefully) in October."
Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad
Starting 11:
GK: Jack Roche (C)
DEF: Rod Stevens
DEF: Joe Sawyer
DEF: Marin Pendov
DEF: Robert Austin
MID: Sammy Seville (Marshall 75')
MID: Clayton Holloway (Setiawan 57')
MID: Colins Akemche (Bolwell 45')
MID: Callum Fox-Spence
MID: Dom Clarke
FOR: Chris Marshall (Newport 45')
Substitutes:
SUB: Sam Bolwell
SUB: Dany Setiawan
SUB: Phil Newport
Goals & Assists:
Goal 1: Bolwell (goal), no assist
Want to know more about The Hype Train?
The Hype Train is an entertainment website founded in 2015, specialising in 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.
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, or visit our website here at www.thehypetrain.co.uk
All aboard.
