TVPL Division One Match Report (14/02/2026): Hype Train FC vs. Bramley United

Welcome aboard the home of Hype Train Football Club. Here, you can read the match reports from the Train's outings across Saturday League action throughout the 2025/26 season, with the team competing in the Thames Valley Premier League (TVPL). All aboard.

Match Report: Hype Train FC

Date: Saturday 14th February 2026

Competition: TVPL Division One (Game 11)

Opposition: Bramley United

Location: Ryeish Green Sports Hub, Hyde End Lane, Reading, RG7 1EP

Final Score: Hype Train FC 2-4 Bramley United

Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk

Match Report:

The Train's encounter against Bramley United was our 13th competitive fixture of the 2025/26 season, with the team competing in Thames Valley Premier League (TVPL) Division One. This was our 2nd competitive match against Bramley, with our previous encounter ending in a 4-1 away win at Post Office Field in October 2025.

A slow start for The Train saw us let off the hook in the 6th minute when Bramley hit the bar when on the counter, which set the stage for a sloppy first-half of mistakes that allowed the visitors to run away with a 3-0 lead at the half-time interval.

The first goal arrived in the 15th minute after a giveaway on the left side of the pitch, allowing Bramley to play a one-two to free their right winger, who clipped a shot past Callum Gibbons in goal, though Ashley Rockall cleared the ball superbly off the line, though the second ball in the air was headed down by a Bramley attacker and then swept home from close range for the opener.

Next, at the half-hour mark of the game, a quick Bramley counter saw their Number 9 played through after another giveaway high up the pitch, with the attacker rounding the goalkeeper before firing into an unguarded net at an acute angle. Lastly, in the dying seconds of the first-half a corner directed to the back post was won by a Bramley head and ghosted through several players and into the net for a good lead going into the break.

The second-half saw the squad fired up at the break, and with several changes, we gave ourselves an opportunity to get back into the game. In the 52nd minute, a low ball forward by Conall Gorman was just inches away from reaching the sliding legs of Luke Follington, though the ball forward by Gorman got a touch and rolled out for a corner. The resulting corner was taken by Connor Stratford - with the set-piece being excellent as the ball travelled in and off the far post, with Stratford scoring his first goal for the team directly from a corner kick - the 4th time this has happened in 248 matches at Hype Train!

Stratford was pivotal again in the 59th minute as the team reduced the deficit further, this time picking up the ball in the middle of the park after good work on the left by Connor Anderson. Stratford then sold a defensive player with the ball, before providing a smart pass into the feet of Aiden Iqbal running into the box, with the midfielder controlling the ball well before finishing low to score a second goal of the campaign - with both coming against Bramley.

With several changes and a change of formation as we pushed for an equaliser, the final bullet in the game arrived in the 84th minute as a Bramley corner was guided towards the goal line and headed in with the attacking player unmarked, to secure the 4th goal and the points for the visitors.

Next up, The Train travel to AFC Reading on February 21st 2026, in Thames Valley Premier League's Division One.

Thoughts from Club Secretary, Robert Austin:

"Some days are just non-starters, and this for us was one of them. A combination of a lack of recent football, an unfamiliar home ground, as well as a group of players still working through the gears, we ultimately allowed ourselves problems in the first-half and all credit to Bramley for putting us to the sword. We were off the pace, and they exploited their chances well and were worthy of a win on the day.

For us, we need to keep building up our fitness and our attitude before and during games too, as we haven't started 2026 well, but I am really glad that the squad put in a much better second-half performance that got us back into the game - we ultimately allowed too much of a mountain to climb on the day, but applied ourselves much better and corrected a lot of errors in the first-half."

Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad

Manager: Robert Austin

Starting 11:

GK: Callum Gibbons

DEF: Anwar Mmanga (Anyiam-Osigwe 63')

DEF: Aiden Iqbal

DEF: Ashley Rockall (Mace 85')

DEF: Daniel Mace (Carter 46')

MID: Daniel Plummer (White 46')

MID: Nadim Gharabli (Rodriguez 85')

MID: Connor Anderson

MID: Sam Rodriguez (Stratford 46')

MID: Conall Gorman (Mmanga 72', Follington 85')

FOR: Luke Follington (Plummer 72')

Substitutes:

SUB: James Carter

SUB: Kieron White

SUB: Connor Stratford

SUB: Alex Anyiam-Osigwe

Goals & Assists:

Goal 1: Stratford (goal), Gorman (assist)

Goal 2: Iqbal (goal), Stratford (assist)

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUsfDLPcETw