EBFL Division One Team Report (29/03/2025): Hype Train FC vs. Eton Wick FC

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 2024/25 season, with the team competing in the East Berkshire Football League (EBFL). All aboard.

Match Report: Hype Train FC

Date: Saturday 29th March 2025

Competition: EBFL Division One (Game 16)

Opposition: Eton Wick FC

Location: Waingels College, Woodley, Reading, RG5 4RF

Final Score: Hype Train FC 2-2 Eton Wick FC

Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk

Match Report:

The Train's encounter against Eton Wick was our 26th fixture of the 2024/25 season in the East Berkshire Football League, with the team competing in EBFL's Division One. This was the reversal of the league encounter last September, with the Train running out 7-3 winners at Haywards Mead.

In a game largely influenced by the wind, the team were battling the elements in the first-half, though we did force the Eton Wick goalkeeper into several saves when Obeydah Abdulwahab forced their shot stopper into multiple saves with his feet, whilst at the other end of the pitch, Jamie Halsall made a top point blank save when a cut back saw a shot from the six-yard-line saved low.

With just a minute to go before half-time, the visitors took the lead after a throw in down their right flank was played back to the thrower, with the deep cross sitting perfectly for their Number 9 to peel off at the back post to head home. To make matters worse for The Train, we compounded the late goal with a goal inside the first 2 minutes of the second-half, when we conceded possession and one through ball allowed their Number 9 to set himself, and finish well into the bottom corner to double Eton Wick's lead.

Chasing a way back into the game, during the 50th minute the Train were awarded a penalty kick when a top forward pass by Jon Watkins reached Mitchell Saunders at the edge of the box. Saunders dragged the ball and himself into the penalty area as he was then collided into for a spot kick awarded. Stepping up for the team was Saunders, though his spot kick was expertly saved by the Eton Wick goalkeeper to restore their lead.

The final 20 minutes of the game was all Hype Train trying to force the issue, with a host of substitutes coming onto the pitch to provide a new energy to the team, with a turn in the tide arriving in the 75th minute after Eme Boateng won a corner for the side. The in-swinging corner from Ilyas Abdulwahab was superb and allowed Ashley Rockall to head home on the back post - Rockall's 6th goal in March - to give us a lifeline back in the game.

The comeback from the brink was then complete in the 85th minute when another top set-piece delivery by Abdulwahab was kept in play at the back post, rolling across the goal line as the visitors tried to scramble the ball away. Poking the ball away from danger wasn't enough for Eton Wick as the ball fell to Brad Burles-Nash to lash home into the roof of the net, with everyone jubilant in relief! The game closed out with more attacking pressure from the team, though the game ended with shared points in EBFL Division One.

Next up, The Train are in EBFL Presidents Cup semi-final action against Barton Rovers at The Atrium in Reading on Saturday 5th April 2025.

Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad

Manager: Robert Austin

Starting 11:

GK: Jamie Halsall

DEF: Jon Watkins (Mmanga 68')

DEF: Mark Bush

DEF: Ashley Rockall

DEF: Leo Pereira (Gorman 79')

MID: Connor Anderson (Burles-Nash 79')

MID: Lucas Coe

MID: Nadim Gharabli (Saunders 79')

MID: Mitchell Saunders (C) (I. Abdulwahab 68')

MID: Conall Gorman (Boateng 64')

FOR: Obeydah Abdulwahab (Follington 64')

Substitutes:

SUB: Anwar Mmanga

SUB: Ilyas Abdulwahab

SUB: Brad Burles-Nash

SUB: Luke Follington

SUB: Emmanuel Boateng

Goals & Assists:

Goal 1: Rockall (goal), I. Abdulwahab (assist)

Goal 2: Burles-Nash (goal), no assist

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. During the 2021/22 season, we won our first-ever trophy, lifting the East Berkshire Football League's Presidents Cup!

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!