Soccer News of Friday, 22 April 2005
Source: Stephen Ennin
ASHGOLD SHOCK DWARFS AT CAPE COAST
Ashantigold?s Shaibu Yakubu at the midweek turned in a 45th minute goal to win all the three points at stake in a week two Premier League game against Ebusua Dwarfs at the Robert Mensah Stadium.
The young but prolific striker, voted goal king for the last season thus brought his goal haul to two in as many matches.
Though several sports analysts had earlier tipped Dwarfs to carry the day following Dwarfs splendid performance against Accra Hearts of Oak, a determined Ashgold made nonsense of all such predictions.
Ashgold had prior to the game promised to return to Obuasi with all the three vital points taking cognizance of the fact that Dwarfs had during preseason succumbed to Ashgold 7:1 aggregate in home and away encounters.
Ashgold fans besieged the Robert Mensah Stadium and thie appeared to have charged the players who fought gallantly to traslate their vows into action. The goal came as a result of Richard Awuah?s header that was beautifully connected home start of a ferocious campaign for goal king title. Kotoko?s Dan Acquah, Hearts Anthony Annan and Ekow Gyansah of Dwarfs have all scored two goals apiece.
Felix Sakyi received the first yellow card in the 13th minute for challenging the referee whilst skipper Kofi Amoako was also however booked for a rough play in the 18th min but the resultant kick by Michael Alhassan was deflected for a welcome goal kick in favour of Ashgold. Dwarfs effected their first substitution when Ernest Adu replaced Attiah Somala in the 21st minute.
Ashgold seized the midfield with sensational Kwaku Sarpong who partnered Mohammed Polo to halt all the dangerous balls and pushed their attackers forward. Ashgold nearly conceded a goal in the 36th minute when Fatau Dauda miscalculated his steps in an attempt to grab a ball but Deheer Kobina ?s lobbed challenge missed the post narrowly.
An unfortunate incident happened in the 42nd minute when Ashgold?s physiotherapist Mr. Armatey Armah was manhandled by a group of Police personnel at the Ashgold bench when he was attending to a casualty but it took the management of Ashgold about some minutes before they were able to intervene.
Tony Baffoe, Gabriel Opoku-ware and Michael Komade replaced Mohammed Polo, Isaahaku Zakari and Joseph Jackson. Awuah in the 82nd minute beat his marker and laid a pass to Shaibu but was brought down in the Dwarfs 18 but the referee strangely allowed play to continue.continue to the disappointment to the fans.
The did-dong battle continued until the referee signaled for the end of the game with Ashgold registering their second consecutive wins in the league competition.