Are we there yet? Gencler claim an important three points

What better way to start the day!

Are Genclerbirligi safe yet? After Saturday's match we are in 12th place (for the moment). It can all still go very, very wrong.

Kasimpasa 1 - 2 Genclerbirligi

A very strange way to watch the match. I arrived at the Red Lion Club fully expecting the Gencler match to be relegated to the small screen once the rugby started but what I didn't expect was to be relegated to the small screen with no sound because of a live singer singing all the hits of an age that had no musical taste at all.

It was all a bit weird as we (Spine, Carl, Flying Dutchman Kanka and myself) politely clapped the poor singer after each of his songs. Luckily for him Gencler were being completely outplayed and so there was no reason for us to clap any louder at the TV screen.

From left to right: Carl, singer, Genclerbirligi

Indeed, Kasimpasa were all over us and were unlucky not to go ahead early on. The general consensus, a point would be a good result for us. Half-an-hour into the match and our singer had packed up and Stancu had the ball and with a brilliant move got away from his defender to pass to Jimmy on the run. Just the goalkeeper in front of him, he jigged, past the goalkeeper... and tap ... in, in, in!

It was a lovely goal and the 15 or so Gencler fans danced in the sunshine.

Not long later came the equaliser. It was an unstoppable free kick which no keeper, it was Dahlin this time, could have stopped. 1-1 at half time and the big screen and commentary was taken over by the rugby fans.

Over a St Patrick's Irish Breakfast of bacon, eggs, mushrooms, toast and potato gozleme (that was the Irish bit I think), one eye was on the Gencler boys and the other on the Italians. We seemed to create some chances and so did Kasimpasa. In the end it was just after half-time in the rugby and close to the end of the football that the winner came with someone crossing it into the box, a Kasimpasa player seemingly stepping over the ball and then Mervan (coming on as a replacement) simply sliding in and GOOOOAAAALLL!!!!

A few minutes later and a very relieved Genclerbirligi left the field in victory.  

Sir Eski and Spine in a funny hat