Hype Train FC played our 13th competitive game of the 2020/21 as continued our Sunday League journey with a fourth outing in the Reading Sunday Social League - the league that we co-created with Caversham United - with the team making the short trip to play New England FC. Read the match report from our game at the Linear Park in Reading. All aboard.
Match Report: New England vs. Hype Train FC:
Date: Sunday 9th May 2021
Competition: Reading Sunday Social League (Game 4)
Opposition: New England FC
Location: Linear Park, Calcot, Reading, RG31 7AT
Final Score: New England FC 0-5 Hype Train FC
Photographer: Sam Austin (@HypeTrainSam)
Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk
Match Report:
Our encounter against New England saw several of our current squad playing against their former Sunday League outfit, with the game at Linear Park the fourth outing of the RSSL, with the hosts looking for a first point, whilst the visiting train were looking for a win to push them up the table as we seek a top two finish and a place in the grand final on June 13th 2021.
The game was played in a competitive spiring during the first-half, with the referee allowing the game to flow with strong challenges. The first big opportunity of the game arose in the 17th minute when a move down the left flank saw Phil Newport cut-back to Martin King, who teed the ball to Stefan Sukara, with the Bulgarian midfielder dashing past an opposing defender and lashing a shot at close range directly at the goalkeeper.
New England had one long range effort fly wide, though leading up to half-time despite some periods of pressure, they were unable to fashion any chances to beat Jake Holloway in goal. The first-half did end with the team pleading for a goal when a left-sided Sukara corner swung in towards Martin King at the back-post, with King's header saved and then fumbled by the New England goalkeeper and seemingly across the line. Despite protests, the referee played on as the half-time whistle blew second later.
With the game goalless at half-time, it only took a matter of seconds for the game to turn on its head when Sukara collected a loose clearance on the left and drove into the penalty area - driving past two defenders before a third bundles the Number 14 over for the penalty. Sam Bolwell stepped up to the mark to convert the penalty, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way as the ball lofted in to the left of the net to open the scoring.
There were plenty of incidents before the next goal of the game, first when the New England keeper judged a through ball wrong with the ball bouncing invitingly for King to square back to Newport, who was unable to add to his tally. Next, New England's best chance to level the score presented itself when they won a free-kick twenty-yards-out from goal. Their left-footed central defender stepped up and hit the top of the crossbar with a sweetly struck set-piece.
The lead was eventually doubled in the 68th minute when Sukara danced past a couple of midfielders when collecting a throw-in, before playing a nice one-two with Newport and finding himself through on goal. Sukara cut in on his right-foot and slotted in with the ball inching across the line much to the team's delight - this being Sukara's second goal in the competition.
It only took until the 71st minute to see the game runaway from the host when Callum Parr-Jones collected a defensive header and cut the New England defensive line open with one pass, with Newport charging onto the looped pass and passing the ball into the net with a first-time finish.
The goals kept on coming for the team and we had a new scorer to add to the history books when veteran winger, Walid Zaky, who had just been on the pitch for a matter of minutes, was in the right place at the right time when Newport charged through on goal one-on-one after another expert ball from Parr-Jones. Newport's shot was well saved with Newport collecting the return ball and squaring for Zaky to sweep home at the back-post - the team ecstatic over Zaky's first goal for the club!
New England had tired and there was one last chance for owner Robert Austin to part ways with his savings as he offered everyone at the club a round of drinks that day had we scored five goals and the chance presented itself when Newport was tripped in the box for a penalty in the 82nd minute. Sam Bolwell retained spot-kick duty and buried the first effort in the bottom-right corner, though encroachment by Sukara meant the pen had to be retaken. Bolwell's second effort sat the keeper down as the strike was left of the keeper's starting mark!
With the 5th and final goal netted, the team saw out the clean sheet and the win in what was a confident, well-executed second-half performance to put the team on 7 points in a tightly contested RSSL table (see below).
Next up for the team, we have a sole match next weekend as we take on Tilehurst Titans in the fifth game of the Reading Sunday Social League at the Ibis Club in Reading, with the squad looking for back-to-back wins in the league.
Man of the Match: Phil Newport (LM)
Our MOTM against New England was left-winger, Phil Newport! The Number 9 provided 3 assists and scored the team's third goal, terrorising the opposing defence at every turn of the game. As the second-half wore on, our hosts couldn't contain the attacking runs of our players as the game opened up, with Newport now up to 7 assists for the season!
There were also standout performances from Sam Bolwell, who brought friends and loved ones to the game, putting in a dogged performance in central midfield, capped with a brace of penalties, whilst the back four were solid and inpenitrable all afternoon in a commanding performance.
Thoughts from Player Manager, Robert Austin:
"After Saturday, the squad desperately needed to bounce back quickly with a win and I am so happy that we were able to come through with a big win and some much needed goals as we kept our hopes of the RSSL final alive and kicking.
The first-half was spirited and well contested by both teams and fortunately we were able to stay on top of them as their fitness waned. Once the early penalty went in, the game was only going one way and it was wave after wave of confident, attacking football. When on top we had spells of possession football and really grew into the contest.
Defensively we were hard to break down and committed, whilst changes in the second-half had us flourish when we needed to be clinical. I'm very happy for the team to get the goals. New England played their hearts out and gave us a good contest, we're looking forward to organising future matches against them and I hope that they can gel sooner rather than later.
The run-in for the RSSL will be interesting and we're taking this one game at a time, though we'll be looking to build on today's good performance next week against Tilehurst!"
Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad
Starting 11:
GK: Jake Holloway
DEF: Rod Stevens
DEF: Vincent van Lembergen
DEF: Federico Martorell
DEF: Robert Austin
MID: Jon Watkins (Zaky 75')
MID: Sam Bolwell
MID: Stefan Sukara (Newport 90')
MID: Callum Fox-Spence (Parr-Jones 46')
MID: Phil Newport Watkins (85')
FOR: Martin King (Fox-Spence 60')
Substitutes:
SUB: Walid Zaky
SUB: Callum Parr-Jones
Goals & Assists:
Goal 1: Bolwell (goal), Sukara (assist)
Goal 2: Sukara (goal), Newport (assist)
Goal 3: Newport (goal), Parr-Jones (assist)
Goal 4: Zaky (goal), Newport (assist)
Goal 5: Bolwell (goal), Newport (assist)
Did You Know?:
- The club managed their fifth clean sheet of the season and the first in our RSSL campaign.
- During the 2019/20 the club recorded 4 clean sheets in 16 games, with the team managing a 5th clean sheet in just 13 competitive games so far during the 2020/21 season.
- Sam Bolwell converted two penalties for the team in the same game against New England, the first time we have netted two spot-kicks in the same game as a club.
- Phil Newport is the second player to register 3 assists in a single game since Rod Stevens managed this feat against Barton Rovers in an 8-1 win in the BBFA Junior Cup on Saturday 28th September 2019.
- The has has equalled the number of matches it played last season (23), with the 5-0 win over New England being our largest margin of victory so far this season
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.
