Welcome to the first game of the 2023 series of Uppies and Downies! We’ll be here all night – bringing you the all the action as it happens.
We’d love to see your photos and videos from the night too – email [email protected] or Tweet them using the hashtag #uppiesandownies
This is the first game in a three-match series. The other two games are played on Easter Tuesday and the following Saturday.
Downies won last year’s series – Downie Dan Fryer clinched the series in the last match of 2022.
Aaron Lancaster took Good Friday for the Downies and Jamie Friel regained Uppie pride on Easter Tuesday – so the Uppies have it all to play for!
Which side are you on?
Please refresh the page so you get the latest updates!
Saturday, April 8
Here’s a video of how it began yesterday – Darcie Saffill, 13, throwing off the ball:
For more photos – click here for our gallery (more will be added as the day continues!)
10.34pm
You can see a gallery of all our photos here
Thanks for joining us and we’ll see you on Tuesday as we bring you live updates from that game. Will the Downies come back stronger?
9.56pm
UPPIES WIN – reports that a Leon Dymatrowski, 21, hailed the ball. Apparently he wasn’t actually playing but caught the ball in the tunnel and ran with it all the way to Workington Hall, despite having an injured ankle.
9.52pm
We think it’s an Uppies victory but are waiting to confirm
9.51pm
9.49pm
Lots of screaming – it looks like an Uppies win
9.49pm
Rumours it’s been hailed
9.48pm
Traffic being stopped on Washington Street? Is this the home run for the Uppies?
9.48pm
Crowd is electric, lots of enthusiasm – some people saying it’s early for this to be happening! Young lad tells us he thinks the Downies may have given up…
9.46pm
We’re in the town centre, under the hub
9.43pm
We’re very near the town centre – this video is the bravest 10 seconds of Lucy’s life, she says!
9.42pm
Still no movement an attempt to push up stopped – but it’s now been thrown through the tunnel towards the town centre
9.41pm
9.40pm
We hope those murals are firmly affixed – there’s lots of banging noises from behind them!
9.39pm
Looks like Uppies and Downies draws a better crowd than Wetherspoons on a bank holiday Friday! Few people down on a night out who have decided to watch this instead…..
9.36pm
Steam coming off the scrum again – we’re not surprised.
9.35pm
Stealth crowd – with handy torch.
9.32pm
The pigeons aren’t happy but excited crowd is running to the other end to watch the game. We’re at the bingo end here.
9.31pm
Ignoring the no entry sign!
9.30pm
And into the tunnel
9.29pm
We’re outside the bingo now
9.26pm
Also, is he not the smartest dressed man you’ve ever seen at an Uppies and Downies game?
9.25pm
It’s out of the beck and gone, Over the beck thrown up towards Wilkos – we think it must be near the tunnel.
9.18pm
Stalled again – on the bank of the beck we think
9.13pm
Break out – stampede into and around pushing towards the beck by the leisure centre…..
9.10pm
We are here:
9.09pm
Stuck in the fence.
9.08pm
9.07pm
Lots of branches cracking as people head up
9.06pm
Lots of shouts to get it up now – but lots of youngsters chanting Downies rule – around 6 or 7 years old!
9.05pm
Thrown up to the bank – looks like it’s heading towards the trees at Black Path. Massive scramble to chase the ball
9.03pm
Not moving but lots of shouts of ‘Up!’ Although we’re not sure if it’s resurgent Uppies or Downies pushing in a circle…..
9pm
8.54pm
Loads of shouts of encouragement – as it gets properly dark, people are telling the players to keep pushing
8.50pm
Heading towards the bank for Black Path – it’s anyone’s game at this stage
8.48pm
Loose ball now – scrum back pushing up towards Black Path
8.47pm
Brief flurry of action but no movement
8.44pm
It’s a mucky business, this Uppies & Downies game…..
8.43pm
If someone gets the chance to make a break under cover of darkness – they’ll be away up to Workington Hall before you can shout ‘Downie’
8.40pm
Moving up the road round the leisure centre
8.38pm
Here’s where this evening began – 13-year-old Darcie Saffill threw off the ball over two hours ago:
8.35pm
Ball out in front of leisure centre – it’s a big ask of the Downies to get it back to their side of town.
8.33pm
Crowds starting to drift away – hopefully they’ll log on from home and follow the action as our hardy trio are in it for the long haul.
8.32pm
Kids enjoying schlepping up and down the beck, we suspect they will be in bother later when they get home….
8.29pm
Also Mark has discovered the flaws of standing next to the beck as he gets hit by a can! He’s okay though, he says.
8.28pm
They must be freezing
8.27pm
And we’re still not moving.
8.26pm
Light is fading quickly
8.23pm
Temperature dropping – not ideal for standing in a beck, really, but Lucy says spirits are still perky.
8.22pm
8.21pm
At standstill.
8.19pm
Maybe not missing – they may have been taking a breather. But kids pulling large metal bars out of the river received cheers. Metal bars? Really?
8.16pm
MISSING BALL
8.14pm
8.12pm
Ball back in beck. Players say it’s cold in there.
8.10pm
Light fading now but the crowds are still out in full force
8.09pm
Dummy scrum – ball still in car park
8.08pm
8.07pm
The first pair of trousers flies into the air as the ball goes flying back to the beck!
8.06pm
But it’s back in the car park…..
8.05pm
Ball moving under bridge – players waiting almost like they have a strategy…..
8pm
Fast push towards leisure centre again, moving quickly past the beck, will anyone go in??
7.59pm
Player who has left the scrum tells us “you forget what its like after a year, that’s the tingle,” while flexing his hands with a big smile! Could the tingle be adrenaline? Excitement? Fear? Who knows…the Uppies and Downies tingle remains a mystery for now…..
7.58pm
About 20ft away from the leisure centre bridge
7.56pm
No one in beck yet. We’re pushing up.
7.55pm
Moving fast down the car park to the leisure centre
7.54pm
Over the fence. Lots of shouts of Up! Up! Up!
7.51pm
Very excited screaming crowd scatters as the scrum sees some movement. We’re a bit closer to the leisure centre and beck again
7.49pm
Olivia and Ellie very very excited to see themselves online and hoping for an Uppies win!
7.48pm
7.47pm
About here:
7.45pm
We were moving quickly through the field, but it’s stopped again.
7.45pm
Meet the Robertsons rooting for the Uppies to win! Jodie and David coming since they were kids.
7.44pm
Over the fence and into the field
7.42pm
Combined effort from Uppies pushing up towards the leisure centre car park…… and an exhausted player:
7.40pm
The scrum moved. Just a little.
7.39pm
Onlookers getting a bit feisty – a fight broke out among them, not players, but it was quickly broken up.
7.38pm
Well didn’t last long. Back on top of some bushes and at a standstill….
7.35pm
7.35pm
Ball thrown out of scrum…..
7.33pm
Uppies pushing towards Wilkos. It’s a big push as well.
7.31pm
Shuffle back toward the council offices the reversed the way it came and stuck again – is it really going to be one of those games?
7.28pm
7.27pm
Local legend Pat Carr just ambled past looking for his daughter who is down for the game, complete with cast on her leg, after she was involved in a collision near Dunmail Park recently as she was crossing the road.
7.26pm
7.23pm
Small fast break but it’s not gone far. Away towards the second bit of the car park.
Lucy says you can always tell a player by wet legs and pants tucked into socks…maybe to keep their clothing intact and together? Small group of players, some bedraggled having ice creams and beers and taking a breather with family.
7.22pm
Another shoe!
7.20pm
The ball was here, except it’s now on the move again towards the leisure centre
7.17pm
Standstill again – on the kerb. Scrum looks tense but we’re seeing some smiles and lots of shoes held in the air. Crowds wrapping up as the sun begins to set.
7.16pm
A sudden move and the ball is off down the road towards the leisure centre
7.15pm
Heading for a 99?
7.14pm
Slow game though not as much movement as usual but they are stuck in the shrubbery again.
7.12pm
On the ground by the thorn bushes
7.09pm
The ball has made a slight move sending people flying and screaming!
7.06pm
The Mr Whippy truck is making a run for it as the scrum gets closer!
7.04pm
Moving quickly to the loft now – on the small roundabout in front of the council offices. People climbing in trees for better look.
7.03pm
I’ve been doing this for a good number of years now and I rate the games by shoe losses. Lucy’s just spotted a good number of footwear being held in the air – and there’s a shoe just been thrown back in!
7.01pm
Energy building in the scrum…some bystanders scattering as ball moves further into the car park….
7pm
There’s a fire engine and a large police van opposite the council offices.
6.59pm
6.57pm
6.52pm
We’re not moving – just on right side of the beck – and there’s steam coming off the scrum. Bet it’s nice in there.
6.50pm
6.48pm
Some bystanders are nervous after watching the “stampede” – one young girl has said to us she is not sure if she’s brave enough to head into the car park!
6.46pm
We’re in the trees by the council offices. Bystanders are running and scattering to watch as the ball makes a strong move in favour of the Uppies.
6.42pm
A metal chair has been moved out of the beck away from the scrum so nobody is hurt – who dumps a metal chair in the beck?
6.38pm
The only thing moving at the moment is the police drone in the air – the scrum is at a standstill!
6.33pm
Bystanders teetering in the edge of the riverbank! Not good if the ball makes a sudden move…
6.30pm
AND WE’RE OFF! Ball has been thrown. Off to the left straightaway – We’re towards Tesco to start with but we’re now at a standstill. Bystanders are walking in to get a closer look at the scrum
6.29pm
6.27pm
Spirits are high and people are getting into position……
Group of kids around 8/10 saying they’re dying to watch the throw off, lots of excitement, says Lucy.
My fave part is watching the highlights on twitter & spaying on who’s in the crowds lol ???? #uppiesanddownies #workington
— Shazii-Puddin ♡ (@Shaziipuddin) April 7, 2023
6.20pm
TEN MINUTE COUNTDOWN!
6.14pm
Police have brought a drone with them too – is it to get a better view of where the ball goes?
6.06pm
There’s not only pride and a ball to play for this year – the winner of any of the games has been offered free membership for Empire Gym for the rest of 2023!
6.05pm
The sun is shining here in Workington and crowds are beginning to gather for the throw-off at 6.30pm. Will the ball go up or down this Good Friday?
We’ve got big crowds to start with, strategically placed ice cream vans, two police cars, drones and all toilets in town are closed, including Tesco. Ritz Cinema has already warned its customers not to park on the Cloffocks car park!
6.03pm
Here’s a great picture from Ann Somerville of a game from the past:
6pm
Welcome to the first game of the 2023 series of Uppies and Downies.
It’s Nicole here at the computer, with Lucy, Ben and Mark out capturing all the moments as they happen!
