DUZYURTSPOR ENCOUNTER AN OBSTACLE BETWEEN THE ANKARAGUCU STICKS !

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

Duzyurtspor didn’t come to Ankara with a reputation (only footie fanatics know where Duzyurt is in Turkey !!), but nor did they come like lambs to the slaughter.   They knocked at the door a few times and were awarded TWO penalties, but Man of the Match Gokhan was in a mean mood and refused entry !

Team -  Gokhan Akkan, Metin Aydin, Aytac Oden, Serhat Gulpinar, Onur Atasayer, Harun Aydin, Orhan Evci, Mehmet Erdem, Gokhan Erdogan, Levent Kale, Umut Nayir

Subs - Turgut Kirveli, Volkan Geyik, Hasan Ayaroglu, Ali Sinan Gayla, Ramazan Adiguzel, Mehmet Tasci, Teoman Erkan

ANKARAGUCU   3      Duzyurtspor   0

The kankas met-up at The Chopin Bar – Battle Damaged Kanka Damon, Ahmet, Onur (after a 2 years absence in Izmir), Tony and his beautiful lady, Jessica who both hail from Scotland’s 3^rd city Glasgow (we all know the 1^st and 2^nd cities are Edinburgh and Leith !!).

Surprise surprise ......... the Stadium wasn’t full, and surprise surprise .............. Sol Kapali was empty !    So there was no bad mouthing last night much to our relief.   Gecikondu was half full but noisy, Maraton was quarter full but noisy and I counted FIVE in the away end !

I spent the first 30 minutes of the match still sniggering at Battle Damaged Kanka’s attempt to enter the Stadium because there wasn’t much to enjoy or get excited about on the pitch with both teams playing some dreadful footie.   Oh yes, what a panic when Damon was refused entry with his Season Ticket.   The look of panic and anger on his face was priceless !    However, there was a happy ending to the story when the Gate Guard informed him that it was perhaps not a good idea to use last season’s card !!!     Ho ho ho ..... ha ha ha .... we won’t let you foget this one Damon !!!

So, it was on the half hour mark when we finally had something to cheer when from a free kick on the left Serhat (I think it was him – it was at the away end) headed in to make the match interesting.

Then just before the half time whistle we had Ankaragucu hitting the post with a shot and then down to the other end for Ankaragucu’s No14 (forgot his name) to handle the ball needlessly with his arm when clearing a throw-in within the penalty area.   The penalty kick was well taken to the centre of the goal, but Gokhan made a great save.   Cue ....... chorus around the Stadium ....... Gokhan, Gokhan, Gokhan !

Mustafa Bey obviously read the riot act in the Dressing Room at half time because we saw a different Ankaragucu in the 2^nd half with some neat passing moves and less of the ‘hoofing’ the ball out of defence to ‘anywhere’.

Just 2 minutes into the 2^nd half and Levent almost made it No2.   A great move down the left with good running off the ball by Levent.   Just inside the box on the left, he looked up and angled a great shot past the keeper.   We were up sand shouting ‘Goal’.    But .......... the ball hit the right post and was cleared to safety.

However, the 2^nd goal arrived 4 minutes later from a comedy of errors and ‘ping pong’ in the Duzyurt penalty area, but Umut was on hand to poke the loose ball in and we were up and shouting ........ with, I may add, relief !

Duzyurt was not throwing the towel in and were still pressing forward and on the 67^th minute mark one of their attackers was brought down in the box and ......... oh no ...... here we go again ........ another penalty.    No criticism of the penalty effort again, but yet again Gokhan made a fantastic save and the ball was cleared for a corner.   Chorus .......... Gokhan, Gokhan, Gokhan !!!

It was mostly all Ankaragucu now, but it took until 5 minutes from the end to find the net for No 3.   The ball was collected in midfield by Ankaragucu’s No11 (forgot his name too) and he took it forward with the Duzyurt defence backing off expecting a lay off to left or right.    He just carried on and just inside the box let fly to leave the goalkeeper helpless.   Great effort and great goal.

Seconds from the final whistle and Umut had a headed attempt from a left wing cross but it was just over with the goalkeeper helpless.

So, the bottom line is that Ankaragucu won 3 points, but they lived dangerously at times last night.   They will have to up their standard for the upcoming matches, especially the one against Goztepe in a few weeks time.   With Goztepe and Bandirma both winning at the weekend there is no let up at the top of the league from those two especially.

Ankaragucu will be away against Pazar next weekend, but before then there is the Cup match away in Tavsanli on Wednesday.    It would be a tick in the box if they can win on Wednesday and qualify for the group phase of the Cup.   

Watch this space for more.

Onur, Damon and Yours Truly before the goals started to go in !!!

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim