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. Reading United
Date: Sunday 10th April 2022
Competition: Reading & District Sunday League, Division 4 (Game 14)
Opposition: Reading United
Location: Calcot Recreation Ground, Calcot, Reading, RG31 4XD
Final Score: Hype Train FC 1-3 Reading United
Photographer: Sam Austin (@HypeTrainSam)
Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk
Match Report:
Our encounter against Reading United was the team's 14th league outing in RDSL Division 4 (17th overall due to a trio of walkover wins) and the fourth time this season that we have played Reading United, having encountered them in multiple cup competitions as well as in Reading & District Sunday League's Division 4.
The stakes for the game couldn' have been higher - a win for the away team would ensure their league title crown, whilst a win for ourselves would lead to a final day showdown with the team still in with a shot at winning the divisional crown, with the game starting positively for the team as we took the lead in the 14th minute. After winning a corner following some good work down the left by Jamie Carter, it was Carter that whipped in a a cross that went across the six-yard-box, with Joe Sawyer winning the race to the ball and heading home to give the team a 1-0 lead.
In a competitive back-and-forth encounter, Reading were gifted a chance to level the score when their central midfielder, Kaine Page, went down easily in the penalty area (something he did against us in the John Lusted Cup) after coming together with Colins Akemche, with the ref pointing to the penalty spot. On the stroke of the 30-minute mark, Page buried the penalty to the top right, leaving Jake Holloway in goal despite diving the right way.
The turnaround for the visitors was complete before half-time when a long throw dropped perfectly for Harry Derbyshire to give the visitors a 2-1 lead from close range after the ball fell to him perfectly inside the six-yard-box.
The decisive third goal arrived in the middle of the second-half for Reading when a ball over the top of our defensive line allowed Connor Mattimore to run onto the ball, calmly control before firing into the roof of the net.
With the game at 3-1, there was a lot of attacking intent from both sides, with Paul Hatfield going close several times for the team, whilst we missed a criminal chance to get a second when the Reading keeper made several good saves to deny Carter from point blank range, with Scott Terry unable to convert the follow up. Despite our best efforts though, we weren't able to add anymore, meaning we have only lost to Reading United this season so far in the division.
The home loss means that Reading United have been crowned Division 4 champions! The club will ensure the runners-up spot with 2 wins from the club's final 3 league encounters against Barton Rovers, Whitley Wood, or Core FC Next up for the team on Sunday's, we are away from home to Barton in Division 4 on Sunday 17th April 2022.
Thoughts from Club Secretary, Robert Austin:
"We have had a great season running alongside Reading United and today they were able to get the job done and see out a potentially flawless season in Division 4. We knocked them out of the BBFA Sunday Trophy, then they returned the favour in the John Lusted Cup. We have then gone toe-to-toe in two really competitive league matches to ultimately decide the fate of the title and all credit to them - they have had a consistent squad and are deserving champions. Conversely, we had had 4 drastically different teams out against them, and as a result our unpredictability could potentially harm us more than it would them.
The game itself started really positively for us, we got the early goal and had some momentum, but the penalty award seemed to suck the life out of the team. We played a good game where possible, though they were ultimately able to force their agenda on us with some pack in attack and were able to see out the win. Both teams had respect for each other and it was a proper occasion for an end of season decider, and I can only pass along my congratulations on winning the league.
Congratulations to Reading United are in order. On the day they got into the game, they wanted it that shade more and had the clinical edge to see it across the line. They're worthy winners of the division and we have had to keep them honest all season as the race has gone right to the end of the season. We hope the celebrations are good and that you enjoy your league win, and are looking forward to future games between the games in the future!"
Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad
Manager: Robert Austin
Starting 11:
GK: Jake Holloway
DEF: Colins Akemche (Sawyer 78')
DEF: Joe Sawyer
DEF: Stuart Stannard
DEF: Robert Austin
MID: Paul Hatfield
MID: George Holloway
MID: Gino Izzo (Fox-Spence 76')
MID: Chris Marshall
MID: Jamie Carter (Zaky 76')
FOR: Shane Cooper-Clark (Terry 65')
Substitutes:
SUB: Walid Zaky
SUB: Callum Fox-Spence
SUB: Scott Terry
SUB: Danny Basden
Goals and Assists:
Goal 1: Sawyer (goal), Carter (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!
Comments