EBFL Division 2 Match Report: Hype Train FC 1-1 Townmead FC

Hype Train Football Club competed in their second competitive match at home in East Berkshire Football League's Division 2, with the club taking on Townmead FC. Read our match report as the Blue and Gold managed their first draw in 9 attempts as a club, meaning we open EBFL Division 2 with 4 points from back-to-back home fixtures. All Aboard.

EBFL Match Report: Hype Train FC vs. Townmead FC

Back at home at Calcot Recreation Ground for the second time this season, in hot and arid conditions, Hype Train Football Club welcomed Townmead for our second game of the season.

With the game kicking off at 2pm sharp, the game started slowly for both sides, though Leon Mannion went close to scoring on two occasions from close range in the opening minutes, without success. Townmead caught HTFC on the break after 5 minutes gone, though Martin King saved well to his left from Townmead's number 10.

The first goal of the afternoon arrived after 7 minutes, with Townmead working the right channel after a throw-in. Eventually clipped over the top, Robert Austin's defensive header fell inviting to right-winger, Justin Moore's, whose first time volley connected sweetly and over Martin King for a wonder strike to open the scoring.

The rest of the pressure in the half came from the home side, as we wasted a host of chances, with Mannion, Noah Hodge and Callum Fox-Spence all going close several times, leaving the team a goal down and frustrated at half-time.

The second-half started how the first ended, with HTFC peppering the Townmead goal with half a dozen chances, though our attacking players didn't have their shooting boots on, though Sebastian Barton went closest after a half-volley flashed past the right-hand post after 60 minutes.

With 18 minutes remaining in the second-half, we finally found our equaliser from a set-piece. Rod Stevens hit an in-swinging corner, with Mannion hitting the post with his header. The ball fell to second-half substitute Sam Paddon, whose headed rebounded was saved by the Townmead keeper, but bounced off the knee of an opposing defender and in to the back of the net.

Directly after our equalising goal, the referee stopped the game for an extended period of 4 minutes whilst the Townmead keeper got himself into the Sin Bin after using foul language against the keeper. Less than a few minutes later, more minutes were wasted as Townmead found themselves down to 9 men for 10 minutes after their central defender was also Sin Binned for dissent against the referee. With the rules stating that each player has to be binned for 10 minutes, due to time wasting during the incidents, neither player was off the pitch for more than 6 minutes.

With the game fizzling out, all the remaining pressure on goal came from the home team, though we were unable to find a winner late in the game, settling for a point against a dogged away side.

The draw keeps HTFC in 3rd position with 4 points from 2 games, with the team travelling away to Eton Wick for our first away game of the season on Saturday 21st September (2pm kick-off).

HTFC Man of the Match:

Sam Paddon came on as a second-half substitute and was full of running and energy in hot conditions, and was key to our equalising goal after his close-ranged header bounced off a couple of Townmead defenders before hitting the back of the net. Sam has now provided 3 of our 5 assists for the team to start the season.

Thoughts from General Secretary, Robert Austin:

"After today's draw, the squad are disappointed that we didn't come away with all three points. We dominated the clear-cut chances in the game and allowed Townmead to stay competitive in the game.

Our keeper, Martin King, only had to make a couple of saves and was a spectator for most of the game, though we only have ourselves to blame for failing to put away a dozen chances or more across the ninety minutes.

The only niggle I had was the lack of respect shown to the referee, with Townmead's keeper refusing to leave the field going in the Bin. The rules are clear about this for all grassroots teams, but some teams are fighting it at games as we found out today, though this frustration on their end didn't help the game as a whole and worsened our experience of it as a result. The two Sin Bin moments in the game really derailed our momentum and killed so much time, we were never really able to rally effectively once the lengthy stoppages in time occurred.

The biggest positive to take away is how we battled well to get the equalising goal. That fight and desire is making us a hard team to beat and breakdown, so even though I feel that this is a couple of points dropped, we stay unbeaten and have a lot to work on as we prepare for a first away day at Eton Wick."

Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad

Date: Saturday 14th September 2019

Opposition: Townmead FC

Starting 11:

GK: Martin King

DEF: Rod Stevens

DEF: Alex O'Keeffe - (C)

DEF: Robert Austin

DEF: James Carter

MID: Elliott Simson (Hodge '85)

MID: Callum Parr-Jones (Marshall '30, Parr Jones '65, Fox-Spence '80)

MID: Ashley Scott (Payne '50)

MID: Callum Fox-Spence (Barton '50)

MID: Noah Hodge (Paddon ('45)

FOR: Leon Mannion

Substitutes:

SUB: Chris Marshall

SUB: Seb Barton

SUB: Sam Paddon

SUB: Tommy Payne

Goals and Assists:

Goal 1: Own Goal, Paddon (assist)

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.