Hype Train FC played our 8th competitive game of the 2020/21 as continued our Sunday League journey with a second outing in the Reading Sunday Social League - the league that we co-created with Caversham United - with the team hosting Southbank FC. Read the match report from our game at the Ibis Club in Reading. All aboard.
Match Report: Hype Train FC vs. Rose & Thistle FC:
Date: Sunday 25th April 2021
Competition: Reading Sunday Social League (Game 3)
Opposition: Rose & Thistle FC
Location: Rivers Ibis Health Club, Scours Ln, Reading RG30 6AY
Final Score: Hype Train FC 1-1 Rose & Thistle FC
Photographer: Sam Austin (@HypeTrainSam)
Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk
Match Report:
Our game against The Rose involved switching from pitch to pitch at the Ibis due to giant potholes filling the pitch assigned to us at last minute, which resulted in a delayed 10:45am kick-off.
When the ball got rolling, Rose had the fair share of early chances and took the lead within the fifteen minute mark when a set-piece on their right-flank was flicked on to the back-post and tapped home on the line by their wing-back, Miklos Fogl.
Rose's lead didn't last long as Phil Newport drove with the ball into enemy territory and was bundled down twenty-yards-out from goal, with Jack Reddings stepping up to calmly slot the resulting free-kick past Hype Train player, Chris Marshall, who tends the net for Rose on Sunday's.
The referee, who was giving fouls for minimal (if any) contact all morning, allowed Rose to deliver several set-pieces that threatened, though Vince van Lembergen and Martin King proved effective as rocks at the back as they cleared several deadly dead balls. Van Lembergen then nearly gave the Blue and Gold the lead just before half-time when he beat Marshall to Sam Bolwell's free-kick, with the heading going inches over the bar.
With Rose largely the better side in the first-half and the opening periods of the second, our opposition in green squandered a chance to go ahead when a low-cross into the area from their left-winger was turned over the bar by their Number 18 from only a couple of yards out from goal. Rose then struck the far-post when their substitute right midfielder cut in and hit a speculative shot that curved and evaded everyone before crashing against cold steel.
Rose's last big chance saw another shot drilled across the far-post following a corner, with the shot cleared off the line at thre back-post by Rod Stevens.
With the game wearing on, we began playing some nice football of our own and had several chances to take the lead, first when Graham High raced on and beat Marshall to a through ball, with High's dinked effort going wide of the mark.
Substitute Tae Eom then found room at the edge of the box and scuffed a shot wide, a warm up for a follow-up effort minutes later when we hit Rose on the counter, with Eom's sweet strike on his left-foot going just a fraction wide in a heart-in-your-mouth moment as we looked to sneak a lead from a hard-working and organised Rose side.
With the team closing strong, ultimately neither team were able to break the deadlock in the second-half, meaning the shares are spoiled in the RSSL after Week 3 - with Rose sitting on 7 points (2W, 0D, 1L), whilst we are on 4 points (1W, 1D, 1L) having played three of the current top four in the league.
Next up for the team, we have a sole game next weekend away to Hambleden FC in EBFL Division One on Saturday 1st May, whilst we return to Sunday action on 9th May against New England in the Reading Sunday Social League.
Man of the Match: Jake Holloway (GK)
Our Man of the Match against Rose & Thistle was our goalkeeper on the day, Jake Holloway! When we started the RSSL with Caversham United we brought in Jake to play and the shot-stopper has done a fantastic job for the team over his first three competitive games.
Holloway made a number of good saves, recoveries, and collections against Rose in a dominant performance between the sticks, whilst the defence had a solid showing as the club managed a third draw in five matches.
Thoughts from Player Manager, Robert Austin:
"It's been a long weekend of football in the sun for our lads and I'm sure that there will be some drumstick coloured arms next week after playing in the heat against two very good teams and coming away without tasting defeat.
Saturday's game against Stoke Poges was like a trip down a lazy river and I think we needed that to be competitive against Rose - they were a very well organised, busy team with some quality players across the park - another Sunday team that a credit to their division.
It's fair to say that Rose edged the first-half and were very calm and composed on the ball, though as the game wore on and changes were necessary, we came into our element and were able to get the ball down for periods, as well as looking dangerous from counter-attacks. There were spells where we were hanging on, but our defensive players played a very good game to thwart Rose's chances of a second, and in the end I am half-disappointed that we didn't steal a win at the end as we had the chances.
April has come and gone for us now though and we only lost once - due to a penalty call against Woodley - so it's been a month for this new club to learn, build and slowly develop as we get to grips with playing after months sat at home in lockdown.
This game was another great advert for our new league and we wish Rose the best of luck in the rest of the competition. Here's hoping we can meet your guys down the line at some point!"
Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad
Starting 11:
GK: Jake Holloway
DEF: Rod Stevens
DEF: Martin King (C)
DEF: Vincent van Lembergen
DEF: Robert Austin
MID: Jon Watkins
MID: Sam Bolwell
MID: Jack Reddings
MID: Callum Fox-Spence
MID: Phil Newport
FOR: Graham High (Eom 60')
Substitutes:
SUB: Walid Zaky
SUB: Taehyeon Eom
Goals & Assists:
Goal 1: Reddings (goal), Newport (assist)
Did You Know?:
- Jack Reddings became the first player to score a penalty and a free-kick for the club. Reddings scored a penalty on his debut for the club against Hounslow Wanderers in EBFL Division One on Saturday 10th April 2021, later scoring a direct free-kick against Rose & Thistle FC on Sunday 25th April 2021.
- By playing in this fixture for Rose & Thistle FC, Chris Marshall became the first active Hype Train player to play a competitive match against the club.
- The 1-1 draw against Rose was Hype Train's 43rd match in total, and 26th competitive outing since forming in June 2019.
- By drawing 0-0 against Stoke Poges the day before in EBFL Division One on Saturday 24th April 2021, and then 1-1 against Rose a day later, this is the first time that the club has drawn successive matches.
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.
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All aboard.
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