In a week that saw Storm Isha hit the UK, Man v Fat Football Carlisle continued regardless of the adverse weather.
More than 40 men were in attendance to enjoy the beautiful game, with an additional focus on weight-loss.
In this week’s fixtures, the opening match saw Saint Eat-Again Greens turn on the style against Fatburn Rovers Blues with a 19-8 victory.
Parmesan Belgrade Blacks recorded a strong 18-7 win over Scran United Reds. Finally, league leaders Fatarselona Oranges bested last season’s champions Borussia Muncheneverything Whites by 18 goals to 5.
With each team having played seven of their 10 fixtures, Fatarsealona Oranges lead the way, followed by Saint Eat-Again Greens who still sit within a win of first place.
Individual performances lit up the pitches on Monday, with Man of the Match awards showcasing each team’s standout players.
For the Blacks, Jamie Dunn scored some cracking finishes and was a threat from all over the pitch, racking up five goals.
For the second week running, Mark Braithwaite was the standout for Fatburn Rovers Blues, with the opposition captain describing him as a “hybrid of prime Bergkamp and prime Zlatan. His touches and control were other worldly”.
For the Greens, Scott Clarkson displayed non-stop energy in defence and attack, scoring twice and creating goals.
Oranges’ Gareth Hewgill made some brilliant saves in his sides hard-fought victory. The opposition captain conceded that Gareth “was a wall to get past and ultimately frustrated the hell out of us.”
For the Reds, Mike Vevers was the key man. His side’s play all went through him and he was a constant threat in attack.
Finally, Whites’ Harry Watson displayed tenacity and strong battling throughout, pushing his team forward and getting a goal.
The league’s head coach, Beverley Young, said: “It was great to see a whopping 13 off-the-pitch hat-trick goals scored for consistent weight loss. A well-deserved 15% achievement for Jack Cooper to on his brilliant milestone.
“Congratulations to our top two weight loss winners, Matt Potts and Mal Brown, both with 2.4kg gone since last week.
“It is great to see the continued club support and encouragement around sharing the load, eating well and making some better choices, as well as seeing those weight scales being turned around again this week. I’m a proud coach!”
Man v Fat Carlisle is a weight-loss football league for overweight or obese men with a BMI of 27.5 or above, and provides a supportive and friendly environment for men to lose weight and improve their overall health and wellbeing, with over 1,400lb lost so far.
The league – which combines football with a weight-loss programme that includes diet and exercise advice, weekly weigh-ins and support from fellow players – has been a resounding success, with dozens of players from across Cumbria experiencing significant improvements in their physical and mental health.
The matches take place on every Monday evening at the Harraby 3G pitches on Edgehill Road.
For more action-packed photos and highlights, or to join the programme, visit www.manvfatfootball.org/carlisle or search ‘Man v Fat Football Carlisle’ on Facebook.
Readers of this article can receive a special discount when signing up, by using code CUMBRIA when prompted on the Man v Fat website.
