England C 0 Turkey 1
by Steve Tervet
A bumper Princes Park crowd watched England C knocked out of the
International Challenge Trophy by a late Turkey goal on Tuesday
night.
Galatasaray winger Aydin Yilmaz, one of three full
internationals in the Turkey team, scored past Ebbsfleet keeper
Preston Edwards with just three minutes remaining.
The semi-final looked to be heading for extra-time after
England’s non-league players had matched their top flight opponents
on a noisy evening in Dartford.
Turkey’s supporters were vocal from the first whistle and they
even lit a flare on the terrace behind Edwards’ goal during the
first-half.
At that point, the visitors were on top. Edwards had to be on
top form to deny Yilmaz, Murat Duruer and Cenk Tosun and the Fleet
stopper was almost caught out when Soner Aydogdu shot just over
from the halfway line.
Emre Colak, another Galatasaray man, played at Old Trafford in
the Champions League earlier this season and the playmaker was
peerless in the first-half.
However, his influence waned after the interval as England
started to assert themselves.
Luton striker Andre Gray turned one shot wide and fired a second
at goalkeeper Ertugrul Taskiran as the home crowd started to sense
an opening goal could be on its way.
It needed a perfectly-timed challenge from Simon Ainge to deny
substitute Serdar Gurler at the other end, before England missed a
golden opportunity to book their place in the final.
Mansfield midfielder Lindon Meikle, the best outfield player on
show, met another Gillies cross but lifted his shot over the
crossbar.
That miss was punished when Turkey broke on 87 minutes. Ainge
was off the field receiving treatment and the visitors exploited
the space as Yilmaz ran in unchallenged to sweep the ball high
beyond Edwards.
England: Edwards, Turley, Thomas, Ainge
(Jackson 88mins), Wedgbury, Oshodi, Gillies, Forbes, Gray (Spencer
82mins), Davis (Jolley 89mins), Meikle. Subs not
used: Mott, Jarvis.
Attendance: 3,212.
Pictures: Andy Payton
06/02/13