Uppie John Irving claimed victory for his side in the first game of the 2024 Uppies and Downies series in Workington.
The mass no rules football game took place on Good Friday and thousands of people gathered for the tradition, which dates back hundreds of years.
Uppies – who need to get the specially made ball to the gates of Workington Hall – were riding high after winning all three games in 2023.
Downies – who need to get the ball to the harbour – say their numbers are depleted as there are fewer people living in that side of town, thanks to the demolition of the Marsh & Quay homes. They had it all to play for, but once again strength of numbers and a canny smuggling operation saw the ball reach the hall.
Here’s how the game unfolded on Good Friday.
We’ll be covering the next two games on Tuesday and Saturday – live. Join us to follow the action!
Here are some of the photos we took from the Good Friday game, by Mark Regan.
