Breast cancer charity football game raises money and awareness

A pink-themed top-of-the-table men’s football game has raised thousands of dollars for the Breast Cancer Foundation.

The total was boosted by a flurry of donations after High School Old Boys player and co-coach Matthew McFatter put his hair on the line for the cause.

HSOB organised the charity football match against Eastern 2 division title rivals Smash Palace Shockers on Saturday to bring awareness to breast cancer.

In a HSOB Facebook chat during the week, teammate Kelly Humphries suggested McFatter offer to shave his head.

“I wanted it to be something that meant something to everybody. A target.  $5000 was,” McFatter said.

The team reached their goal with the help of raffles, community and business donations and generous individual donations from a couple of HSOB team members.

Gisborne Thistle AFC also contributed.

ALH Limited Thistle team striker Campbell Hall, whose brother Jeremy Auckram debuted for HSOB in the charity match, got his team to dress in pink at training and donate to the cause.

Thistle also donated the gate-takings from their Central Federation League clash with Taradale on Saturday.

Meanwhile, over 100 people dressed in pink turned up at Harry Barker Reserve for the HSOB-Shockers charity match.

Both teams sported pink socks while HSOB also had matching pink headbands.

Match official Eru Rawiri wore a pink shirt for the crucial clash.

HSOB started the day with a jersey presentation and speeches from whānau affected by cancer.

Wainui Riverina coach Lizzie Hall shared her experience of losing sister Susan to breast cancer and how mother Patricia had a masectomy but was a survivor.

The teams circled up in the middle of the pitch for a minute’s silence in remembrance of all those affected by cancer.

Rawiri blew the whistle to start the game and Shockers came out firing, scoring two goals in quick succession.

Mathias Bast slotted the first three minutes into the match. Oscar Daube followed it up two minutes later.

Daube put his side 3-0 up 10 minutes later after a clearance kick in the box was deflected twice — Daube making no mistake the second time.

HSOB pulled one back soon after when Steve White put a ball over the Shockers defence to find Robert Fitzpatrick, who stuck it first time over the keeper.

With the Eastern 2 title in both teams’ sights, tension was high, resulting in yellow cards being handed out to Shockers Matthew Low and Martin Hemmington in the last few minutes of the first half.

The second half began in contrast to the first with HSOB piling on the pressure.

Shockers’ were reduced to 10 men in the 55th minute when Hemmington was sent off after a second yellow card.

HSOB closed the deficit to one when a well-struck free-kick from McFatter saw the ball go over the keeper’s head, bounce in and then out of the goal.

There was some confusion before Rawiri confirmed it was a goal.

The intensity level remained high — HSOB’s Matthew Miller (58th minute) and Humphries (74th) were yellow-carded — and both teams had their opportunities.

But Shockers held on to inflict the first defeat of the season (3-2) on HSOB. They also leapfrogged HSOB into first on the table on 33 points, two points ahead of their rivals.

Breast nurse educator Sue Ball, who attended the match, said: “It’s great to see all these guys out here supporting the kaupapa and it’s a good chance to remind them to check themselves as well.

“One of the things that always surprises people is that men can get breast cancer. One man a fortnight is diagnosed.”

Ball said she appreciated when the community joined together to raise awareness and funds for the foundation.

“All of the work we do is funded by charity so we are really grateful when groups like this come out and fundraise for us because it means we can do those extra things that the public health system can’t do.”

HSOB captain Aubrey Yates, while disappointed to lose, was delighted to shave McFatter’s hair off at the after-match function on Saturday night.