After four weeks of hotly contested fixtures, the Man v Fat Carlisle Cup witnessed a truly dramatic conclusion this week.
On Monday night, the cup winners were confirmed after a nail-biting penalty shootout, for the first time in the cup’s history.
In a match where no inch was given by either team, Parmesan Belgrade Blacks and league champions Fatarselona Oranges had to settle for a 1-1 draw in normal time. Once weight-loss and tracking goals were added – a unique feature of the Man v Fat Football league – the final score was calculated as 8-8.
Incredibly, a penalty shootout was the only way to decide between the two teams.
Up stepped the brave penalty takes from both teams, but the story of the night was written by the goalkeepers. There were some fabulous saves by both stoppers, but it was Blacks’ stalwart, Kev Brough, who made the cup-winning save to claim the silverware for his team.
Reflecting on the action, goalkeeper Kev Brough said, “We knew that it was going to be a close game between two evenly matched teams. More than likely the final result would be determined on the scales.
“Both teams gave absolutely everything with a massive effort from everyone on the pitch.
“As a keeper going into the shootout, I enjoy the challenge as all the pressure is on the penalty taker. Myself and Gareth managed to keep a few out, and we eventually managed to take the shootout win!”
The dramatic cup final brought the curtains down on another successful season for Man v Fat Football Carlisle.
The club will take a one-week hiatus to celebrate its end of season awards, before returning for its ninth season on Monday, March 25.
Across all of the evening’s games, individual performances were once again a highlight under the Harraby floodlights.
For the Blacks in their cup final, founding MVF member Tom Burkes signed off with an excellent performance. The legendary player was celebrated for his great work-rate all game, full of effort and a constant thorn in the defence.
An impromptu guard of honour from the players at full time illustrated the positive impact Tom has had and the warmth that the club and its players have for him.
The Blues’ Dan McAulay was praised by the opposition captain for his brilliance on the ball, great passing and quality performance, topped with a “cracking” goal.
Mike Cameron was the Greens’ Man of the Match for the second week running, thanks to his fantastic work-rate driving forward and diligent dropping back in defence. His performance was topped off by a beautiful goal, turning the last defender, throwing the keeper off balance and then chipping it into the back of the net.
A man of the match performance from John Nichol took his Oranges side within a whisker of cup final joy. The popular player commanded his team from defence and popped up all over the pitch.
For the Reds, Jon Nattrass was the standout, brilliantly bombing forward and putting in some crucial tackles at the back. For the Whites, Shawn Berry made some stellar saves, distributing well to start attacks for his side.
This week also saw brilliant weight loss achievements across the teams, led by Chris Jack, who celebrated a remarkable milestone of losing 10% of his bodyweight since signing up.
The league’s head coach, Beverley Young, said, “A thrilling climax with a hard-fought cup final to end the season, with Parmesan Belgrade pipping the Fatarsealona Oranges for the cup! Well done to Oranges for their league title success this season.”
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 1,500lb lost so far.
The league – which combines football with a weight-loss program 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.
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.
