ANKARAGUCU CONSIGNED TO PLAYING SUPPORTING ROLE !

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

Last night in Istanbul it was all about Fenerbahce, with ANKARAGUCU there `to make up the numbers` !!

Fenerbahce 3 ANKARAGUCU 1

The Stadium was filled to capacity (approximately 55,000) to celebrate the presentation of the League Championship Trophy to Fener prior to the kick-off.

The Cappadokia Bar was also filled to capacity with traitorous Fener `supporters` who come from Ankara ! However, at least there were 6 ANKARAGUCU supporters to celebrate ANKARAGUCU scoring first and silencing the Pub (for a while at least) !!

Maniac Kanka Harun, his friend (can't remember his name), Harun's beautiful wife Asuman and gorgeous daughter Hazal, Flying Dutchman Kanka Carlo and yours truly were all there in The Cappadokia Bar.

All the TFF VIPs were there at the Stadium kissing each other and trying to pretend that they weren't Fener supporters ! Tears of joy flowed from some of the players eyes which almost made me throw-up with excruiciating embarrassment !! Oh yes, and while all this bullshit was taking place, the ANKARAGUCU players were waiting in the tunnel to be called on as `bit players` in the Fenerbahce Show !!!

Flying Dutchman Kanka commented that it would have been more appropriate to make the presentation AFTER the match as happens in `normal countries` ! Agreed !!!

Anyway, after all the eyes were dried and the confetti cleared away, it was kick off time, and all credit to ANKARAGUCU for going straight into the attack. Hikmet Karaman has obviously heeded my advice about making attack the best form of defence !!!

Our `old` captain, Hakan Kutlu, was in the starting line up for the first time this season, obviously to add stability and experience to the defence.

It was pretty much end-to-end stuff with ANKARAGUCU looking the more likely to score, and the goal duly arrived on the half hour mark. A great ball in from the left to the far post where Bebbe was lurking unmarked, and a well placed header wrong footed the goalkeeper to silence the crowd in the Stadium. Meanwhile, back at the Cappadokia, the 6 ANKARAGUCU fanatics burst into song...... Bebbe, Bebbe, Bebbe, etc, for what would be the only time in the match !

Fener came out for the 2nd half and started to step on the gas. Tuncay and Kezman in particular were beginning to cause all sorts of problems for the ANKARAGUCU defence with the speed of their running on and off the ball.

The Fener goal arrived 10 minutes into the 2nd half when a free kick floated in to the near post was met by Umit Ozat with a glancing header that left Serkan rooted to the spot. Cheers all round and more tears from Umit who was playing his last match for Fener. Yours truly had to go to the toilet again to throw up !!!

All credit to ANKARAGUCU for continuing to press forward in search of a winning goal and it almost came from Mustafa and Bebbe who both went close on several occasions before Kezman knocked in the 2nd from another fast break away.

ANKARAGUCU's heads did not go down as they continued to press forward looking to salvage something from the match. However, it was from another break away that Kezman looked to have wrapped it up. But Serkan made an instictive save with the rebound landing at Emre's feet. Uncharacteristically for him, he became disorientated with body and ball and the ball was nicked by Kezman to score at the near post with a tight angled shot.

So, a disappointing defeat perhaps, but it has to be said that ANKARAGUCU were not disgraced in defeat. Their fighting spirit was there for all to see. Hikmet Bey must surely be aware of what is required to strengthen the team for next season. At the risk of repeating myself, and at the very least, we definitely need quality support for Bebbe up front and a class midfield player in the mould of Ceyhun.

Elsewhere, I am sorry to report that Gencler consigned Antalya to the 2nd league. Oz Kanka was there in Antalya to see the match and he will post his report on his return to Ankara on Tuesday.

Joining Antalya in the 2nd league will be Erciyes and Sakarya.

So ends another footie season in Turkey. However, rest assured there will be lots of reporting going on in the summer season on reflections of this and other seasons footie . We also look forward to the opening competition of next season at the end of July when The Sportswriters Cup will take place in Ankara.

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim