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: Reading United vs. Hype Train FC
Date: Sunday 23rd January 2022
Competition: Reading & District Sunday League (Division 4)
Opposition: Reading United
Location: The Oratory School, Woodcote, Reading, RG8 0PJ
Final Score: Reading United 2-1 Hype Train FC
Photographer: Sam Austin (@HypeTrainSam)
Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk
Match Report:
Our encounter against Reading United was the team's 7th outing in Reading & District Sunday League Division 4, with the team having won all 6 previous outings (including two walkover wins) - whilst this was the third time this season that we had taken on Reading United, with the team beating Reading 3-1 in the BBFA Sunday Trophy, before our hosts beat us 5-0 in the John Lusted Cup quarter-finals before the Xmas break.
The morning's crunch league outing took place on the sloppy pitch at the Oratory School on an overcast morning, with the venue hosting an incredibly close and competitive outing between both sides.
Back and forth for the first 18 minutes of the game, the first turning point of the game came in the 17th minute when Callum Parr-Jones freed Phil Newport through on goal, with Newport fouled just inside the penalty area, with the referee flagging for a penalty kick. A minute later, Newport stepped up and finished the penalty in the bottom right corner to give the team the lead.
With Reading looking to get back on equal terms, we weathered a storm for a while until the hosts were able to get back on level terms - directly from a corner kick no less in the 32nd minute. After conceding a free-kick, the eventual clearance led to a corner, which was directly converted at the far-post by Kaine Page to see the teams go in at half-time with the scores level.
The pattern of play saw Reading try to exploit space down the wings, whilst compacting the middle, though were unable to breach out defensive line until the 70th minute when a ball was fed to James Koroma on the left, with their winger taking one touch to cut in, before hitting a low shot that beat Holloway in goal to squeeze in to give the hosts a lead.
With the team pressing for an equalising goal, changing shape, we were unable to test the opposing goalkeeper, though had one contentious moment when Newport was racing through on goal and taken out off the ball in the penalty area whilst he was contesting a ball with their keeper. The referee didn't see a foul in the play, despite Newport completely taken out on his path the ball, meaning we had to succumb to defeat for the first time in a competitive RDSL league outing.
The narrow 2-1 loss means that for the first time, we have lost a league game in Sunday League football, and remain in third place in the Division 4 table. Next up for the team, we take on Brothers United in league action.
Thoughts from Club Secretary, Robert Austin:
"Our latest game against Reading served up a really intense, competitive game, and one that could have gone either way. We lined up in a solid, compact defensive block and for the most part repelled their decent attacking players, leaving them to fight over half-chances and limited their pace out wide. Our game plan was executed well, and the players, even with a loss, performed really well and shouldn’t have their heads down.
The team are obviously despondent over the defeat, especially as neither team have dropped points to date, but the only thing we can do now is come back and keep fighting and plugging away. It's just a shame that teams have been pulling out against us, which has done a real number on our goal difference. It might be vitally important at the end of the season.
Well played Reading, it was a very good game of football and we're looking forward to the return fixture at our place later on in the season!"
Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad
Manager: Robert Austin
Starting 11:
GK: Jake Holloway
DEF: George Fradgley (Watkins 70')
DEF: Callum Gibbons
DEF: Vincent van Lembergen
DEF: Robert Austin
DEF: Jamie Carter (Paddon 70')
MID: Chris Marshall
MID: Callum Fox-Spence
MID: Gino Izzo (Jones 82')
MID: Callum Parr-Jones (Setiawan 70')
FOR: Phil Newport
Substitutes:
SUB: Walid Zaky
SUB: Owen Jones
SUB: Sam Paddon
SUB: Jon Watkins
SUB: Dany Setiawan
Goals and Assists:
Goal 1: Newport 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!
