THE BATTLE OF GOLBASI

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

It’s a long time since we’ve had a ‘battle’ to report on the Blog, but today fell into that category, but ........   perhaps we might want to call it a skirmish ??!!!

It started out like an away match adventure to Golbasi, even if it was a home match !    (I believe the 19 Mayis Stadium is being renovated, but if so, that could take a few years to achieve !!!).

We, Battle Damaged Kanka Damon, Cider Kanka John, new kanka Everton Kanka Marcus and I met up with Ahmet in the city and drove to Golbasi not knowing for sure where the Stadium was.   However, just as we were about to get lost in Golbasi, along comes 2 police cars with sirens blaring escorting the Ankaragucu Team Bus to the Stadium.    Yesssssss ..... follow them was the cry !

It is a small Stadium with only one side for spectators, but there were lots of Ankaragucu tribunes in attendance and even a small Marash contingent.

Oh yes ....... almost forgot about the footie ...............

ANKARAGUCU     1        Karamanmarasspor     0

Team - Gokhan Akkan, Metin Aydin, Aytac Oden, Volkan Geyik, Onur Atasayer, Harun Aydin, Orhan Evci, Hasan Ayaroglu, Gokhan Erdogan, Levent Kale, Umut Nayir

Subs - Turgut Kirveli, Hasan Kaya, Batuhan Gulcan, Teoman Erkan, Mehmet Tasci, Muhammed Gonulacar, Ali Sinan Gayla

I had a feeling of deja vu for the first 10 minutes or so when Marash came out of the traps and took the game to Ankaragucu.    There was as scare on 10 minutes when Gokhan had to make a double save from a Marash breakaway attack.

Ankaragucu crept more into the match (probably helped on by the loud vocal support !!) and Umut should have done better one minute later when he shot straight at the keeper from 10 yards out.

15 minutes later Levent should have scored when he also shot weakly at the keeper and then again just before the half time whistle he mis-cued the ball when in a good position to score.

Half time and then all hell broke loose !    Ahmet went to get the teas n' coffee just below the VIP Area and suddenly there was an erruption of chairs, tables, glasses, bottles, etc when someone tried to attack our ex-President (or future President ?!), Mehmet Yigner.   

Any excuse for a battle and the tribunes joned in the fracas with plastaic chairs and bits of charis flying all over the place.    It was mental !     Cue, bring in the Cops who had a great excuse to use their pepper spray and plastic bullets.     Fortunately it wasn’t a full scale battle and a certain, if reluctant, peace was restored in time for the resumption of play.     Also, thankfully we all managed to stay in one piece injury free !!

Back to the footie action then .........

Ankaragucu was looking a bit more composed in the 2^nd half with less hoofing out of defence and more concentration on playing the ball out of defence.    I have to say that some of the footaball served up in the 1^st half was dire !

On the 55^th minute Umut missed a simple header under no pressure as he sent the ball drifting past the post with the goal at his mercy.    Shit ........ I was thinking ......... is this going to be another of those 0-0 matches with Marash running the clock down ?!

10 minutes later we were all jumping up and down and forgetting about half time and the police surrounding us !     Goaaaaaaaaal !

An Ankaragucu break down the left, the cross comes in, flicked on to Levent who was lurking on the right, and side-footed in to break the deadlock !

There was only one more chance before the final whistle when from Levent’s great run down the right and his pin-point cross to Umut, he should have made it 2 but he ballooned the ball over the bar.

A quick exit from the Stadium 5 minutes before the end for the kankas for safety reasons !   

3 valuable points for Ankaragucu in their fight to escape from the relegation zone, and ............ back to The Crossroads Pub in Cankaya to celebrate !

Btw, we had the pleasure of meeting Akay Bey, an Ankaragucu Fanatik who lives in Bodrum.   He is the owner of a Pub in Turgutreis called Target Bar.    So, if in Bodrum, please visit his pub where a warm Ankaragucu welcome awaits you !

Will we have more Stadium Bans after today’s Battle ?    Mmmmm ........... quite likely, but watch this space for more details about it.

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim