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: Hype Train FC vs. Old Windsor FC
Date: Saturday 26th March 2022
Competition: EBFL Premier Division (Game 8)
Opposition: Old Windsor FC
Location: Calcot Recreation Ground, Calcot, Reading, RG31 4XD
Final Score: Hype Train FC 0-3 Old Windsor FC
Photographer: Sam Austin (@HypeTrainSam)
Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk
Match Report:
Our encounter against Old Windsor was the team's latest home outing in the East Berkshire Football League (EBFL) Premier Division this season, with this being the first time we have taken on the visiting side in competitive action, only playing the Old Windsor FC Reserves during the 2020/21 season in EBFL Division One.
The first-half saw Windsor open and finish well, and they were unlucky not to have a couple of goals stand, with an effort ruled out for offside after their right midfielder was ahead of the ball when a ball played forward led to the player tapping into an empty net. Then, towards the end of the half, their attack Harry Fernan, beat the offside trap, was sent wide by Jamie Halsall in goal, with Fernan cutting a tame effort across goal, though was unable to capitalise on a golden opportunity.
The only goal in the first-half arrived just after the 15-minute mark when a set-piece was guided towards the far-right post, tapped in on the line by a Windsor player - a chance that they couldn't miss - to take the lead.
With the game at 1-0 entering the second-half, a Chris Marshall free-kick was deep and into the penalty area; Callum Gibbons won the initial header, with the ball veering to the right towards Jon Watkins, who was able to twist and turn until he flashed a shot at goal, though the out-stretched leg of Watkins for the shot meant that the effort didn't generate enough power to draw the team level.
A crucial second goal for Windsor arrived around the 60th minute mark when they were able to clear a Hatfield corner up the pitch. Their attacker, Harry Farnan, collected the ball, beat his defender before playing in a substitute midfielder to rifle a shot from just inside the penalty area past Halsall in the goal, doubling Windsor's lead.
Looking to get a goal back into the game, the team were against the wind, though had two flashes at goal. The first arrived when Windsor played back to their keeper, who rushed a clearance across the bobbly ground, with the ball being smashed goalward by Robert Austin, though a Windsor defender made a crucial block. Next, Hatfield cross back to Newport, who was unable to find the target. Lastly, several set-pieces and corners were well defended or collected by the opposing keeper.
Towards the end of the game, after Joe Sawyer gave away a foul, their Forward and Callum Gibbons came together. There was a coming together, and the referee initially sent both players off for their aggression on the pitch, though after the game downgraded both violations - really good officiating and a good outcome overall for both teams.
With both teams ending the game with 10 players, Windsor scored a third and it came from a corner-kick that went to the near-post, with central defender, Chris Tierney, evading his marker at the near-post and slotting home from close range to finish the job for the visiting side.
The loss means that after 9 games of the Premier Division played, the team sit in 10th place, with 8 points from 8 games and several games in hand over teams above us in the league. Next Saturday on 2nd April 2022, the team take old Old Windsor FC Reserves in the semi-finals of the EBFL Presidents Cup!
Thoughts from Club Secretary, Robert Austin:
"This afternoon's game was against a well drilled, physically strong opposition, who on the day deserved their win. Windsor limited our chances, were very dangerous from throw-ins and set-pieces and overall put in a good shift.
On the other side of the fence, we didn't have a good day at the office - we tried our best, but just didn't click into gear and at times made it easier for Windsor that what we would have liked. Games like this happen in football and for us it was a good exercise to get grips to task with our semi-final next weekend against Windsor's Reserve outfit, and a big eye-opener for the team to learn from today's mistakes as we approach our biggest game of the season.
There were a few incidents on the field that I was by no means happy with - both on our end, and from the opposition, but mainly the disrespectful words aimed at referee just don't have a place in the game, and neither does it look for each team when there's a coming together over very little. I understand they were looking to rattle the team though, waste extra precious seconds and so on, so I get it... It's a minor point though and on the whole the visitors deserved their win."
Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad
Manager: Robert Austin
Starting 11:
GK: Jamie Halsall
DEF: George Fradgley
DEF: Joe Sawyer
DEF: Callum Gibbons
DEF: Robert Austin
MID: Jon Watkins (Setiawan 60')
MID: Chris Marshall (Ali 60')
MID: Callum Parr-Jones (Akemche 46')
MID: Gino Izzo (Marshall 75')
MID: Paul Hatfield
FOR: Phil Newport
Substitutes:
SUB: Ash Ali
SUB: Dany Setiawan
SUB: Colins Akemche
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
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