Home   Sport   Article

A group of overweight lads came together in October to play seven-a-side football with the aim of losing weight whilst playing the game.

Between them, they have lost 242.3 kg. From this seven-a-side weight loss league they have now set up an 11-a-side team called Grantham Athletic (The Griffins) and will be competing against other Man vs Fat 11-a-side teams in a National League, the season for which commences in June.

Recently they held a friendly against Lincoln when they recorded their first victory against a well established team who have been playing together for a couple of years. It was only The Griffins' fifth game.

Grantham took the lead in the seventh minute after a beautiful passage of play in midfield. Stanhope brought the ball down and with some brilliant hold-up play was able to play in Redley. He took the ball out wide on the right and skinned his man out on the wing and delivered a sublime cross, beating the Lincoln keeper and centre backs to find Rawdon at the back post for first blood to Grantham.

The Imps equalised on 13 minutes when a corner was swung in at stand-in Griffins keeper Jones who, despite his best efforts to deal with it, managed to punch it against the underside of his bar and in it went.

On the half mark, Grantham brought on DeBenedictis for Thomas and he had an immediate effect, firing a sidewinder of a shot with a vicious curl on it to complete wrong foot the Lincoln keeper for 2-1.

It took until the 59th minute for the Imps to draw level again. Jones pulled off a fantastic save to an initial shot but parried the ball straight to the waiting Lincoln striker who tapped in from close range.

Eight minutes later and the Griffins found themselves behind after Lincoln were awarded a penalty which was converted for a 3-2 lead to the visitors.

With 10 minutes remaining, Grantham found an equaliser. Rourke swing in a ball from the edge of the area to Rawdon who volleyed across the Imps keeper and into the net.

Jones pulled off an inspired save in the 88th minute to keep Grantham in the game as the clock ticked down.

With the game gone into added time, a share of the spoils looked to be on the cards, but with four minutes of it played Grantham were awarded a penalty when Rawdon was brought down by the Lincoln keeper.

With Rawdon on for a hat trick, it was always his penalty to take. The keeper dived too early but still made contact, however it was not enough to keep it out and with it a victory for Grantham Athletic.

Man of the match went to David Bonfield, an absolute stone wall in Grantham's defence.