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: NFFT FC vs. Hype Train FC
Date: Sunday 10th October 2021
Competition: Reading & District Sunday League (Division 4)
Opposition: NFFT FC
Location: South Reading Leisure Centre, Northumberland Avenue, Reading, RG2 8DH
Final Score: NFFT FC 0-5 Hype Train FC
Photographer: Sam Austin (@HypeTrainSam)
Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk
Match Report:
Our encounter against NFFT was the team's third outing in the Reading & District Sunday League, and our 5th competitive game this season in total, with the game a stone's throw away from the JMA Academy, where the team train each week.
The first-half for both teams was an exercise in patience as both teams tried to break one another is, with chances at a premium in the opening half hour. The pick of the chances came when Leon Mannion was played in by Paul Hatfield, who cut a shot across the face of goal, before Mannion returned the favour to Hatfield with a cross to the back-post, though Hatfield wasn't able to connect the the ball. The hosts had one chance on target, with their Number 10 played through on goal, with keeper, Robert Austin, getting a foot on an effort bound for the far-left post.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 38th minute when we won back possession of the ball in the right-back position. Stuart Stannard found the feet of Graham High after some good defending, who turned and played a deep through ball to Mannion, who ran through on goal and converted with his left foot to open the scoring.
The half-time interval was perfect for the team as we came out and extended our lead within two minutes of the restart. High won back possession of the ball after the hosts were sloppy from a set-piece just inside their own half, with High setting free Mannion down the right, with the Number 9 delivering a perfect ball to the far-post for Hatfield to power home the header.
Virtually from the restart, the crucial third goal arrived from the left wing, when Sam Paddon and Paul Hatfield combined with Leon Mannion, with the forward set free to unleash a shot at goal when creeping in the penalty area at a tight angle. The NFFT keeper dropped the shot right in the path of Callum Fox-Spence who slid in to poke home for his first goal of the campaign.
With all of our goals arising from open play so far, a set-piece combination struck again when Stuart Stannard's corner kick in the 58th minute fell invitingly to skipper on the day, Chris Marshall, to finish from close range - with Stannard assisting his fellow former Rose & Thistle FC player in back-to-back games.
With the team in a good groove, the cherry on top of a dominant second-half performance arose in the 72nd minute when a loose ball fell out to another good performer in midfield, Gino Izzo, who collected a loose ball and found the opposing keeper well off his line before calmly lifting it over and in to an empty net.
The win means that we have started our debut Sunday League with 5 consecutive victories, with the team winning a brace of cup games and all 3 games in RDSL Division 4 to date. Next up for the team, we are back in league action against Calcot FC at Linear Park.
Thoughts from Club Secretary, Robert Austin:
"This morning was a game of two halves as we continued our perfect start to the season in Sunday League action. The first-half was difficult for the team on a small pitch, with NFFT defending deep in a block of six defenders, stifling many attacking channels which meant we had to be patient as the game wore on. The goal late in the half really opened up the game, to our benefit, which allowed the second-half to open up.
After the break we scored some really well worked goals, particularly our second of the day, whilst the third goal ended the game as a contest, with the hosts allowing us more time and opportunities when their heads were down. We put the sword to them in the right manner and ultimately saw out a well-managed victory.
I'm particularly happy that the overall squad won this game. We had a lot of numbers and utilised everyone well, with each player having a positive impact on the game. The team is really together right now and we're building some good momentum, so days like this only add to our hope and belief as the season drags on.
Good luck to NFFT this season - they put up a very good effort given that they had no subs ro call upon and they ran out of legs, whilst we had fresh legs to hurt them when they were losing steam in the second-half. We are looking forward to the return leg later on down the line this season."
Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad
Starting 11:
GK: Robert Austin
DEF: Colins Akemche (Basden 58')
DEF: Chris Marshall
DEF: Stuart Stannard
MID: Sam Paddon (Carter 58')
MID: Graham High (Setiawan (55')
MID: Scott Terry (Jones 60')
MID: Gino Izzo (Terry 75')
MID: Callum Fox-Spence
MID: Paul Hatfield (Raisa 55')
FOR: Leon Mannion (Hatfield 78')
Substitutes:
SUB: Abz Raisa
SUB: Dany Setiawan
SUB: Jamie Carter
SUB: Danny Basden
SUB: Owen Jones
Goals and Assists:
Goal 1: Mannion goal, High assist
Goal 2: Hatfield goal, Mannion assist
Goal 3: Fox-Spence goal, Mannion assist
Goal 4: Marshall goal, Stannard assist
Goal 5: Izzo goal, no 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!
