On the pitch, Carlisle United are sitting pretty in the League Two football table and heading for possible promotion. Now the club's thirsty supporters have surged up an altogether different league - after 'smashing' a now-famous drinking challenge at a Rochdale pub.

Fans packed out the Cask and Feather on Drake Street in Rochdale town centre ahead of Saturday's game at Spotland against the Dale.

As revealed in the Manchester Evening News, the pub has become popular with football supporters after starting a leaderboard of how many Jägerbombs fans of each away team have sunk.

The boozer markets itself as an away-friendly pub to fans of teams traveling to the town to see their team, as well as those traveling to other games in and around Greater Manchester.

They lay on free food and karaoke in a bid to create a party atmosphere for fans before they head off to the match, regularly getting several coaches full of supporters in before games. And on Saturday it was Carlisle United fans' turn to take on the challenge, which by the look of photographs posted online they comfortably won.

The leaderboard, totted up on a whiteboard in the pub, notes the highest number of Jägerbombs bought in a single round as well as the most bought in total on a matchday by each set of fans.

And landlady, Terri Hernon, 36, has started a fresh leaderboard this football season, which has become a huge hit with thirsty fans.

Newport and Hartlepool United topped the list when the M.E.N. last visited the story. Now it seems Carlisle United have surged into the league - with a staggering 340 Jägerbombs bought in a single round on Saturday, according to reports.

"Carlisle United smashing the Jägerbomb challenge at Rochdale today," wrote popular Twitter page Football Aways Day.

A picture of the pub's bar packed with Jägerbombs and surrounded by Carlisle fans accompanied the post. The pub wrote on social media: "Well done Carlisle. Thank you for coming. 340 Jaegers in one round. Nearly drank me out of of Jagermeister - 526 shots later."

The pub on Drake Street

The pub has two Jägermeister machines and is well known for selling shots of the spirit mixed with Red Bull energy drink.

Landlady Terri Hernon, 36, who has now been in charge at the pub for seven years, previously told how she decided to start tallying up how many drinks each set of fans were having.

"We invite all the away teams down, no matter what league they are in, and put sausage and chips on for them for free and put karaoke for them as well," Terri said. "Just give them a good time. Get them all cheered up, get them all in the atmosphere."

Responsible drinking is encouraged by the pub, with each fan only having one or two of the drinks, which cost two for £5 or four for £10.

And Carlisle had success on the picth, too. A 1-0 defeat of Rochdale leaves them fourth in League Two, with struggling Dale rock bottom.

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