Kumasi Asante Kotoko jumped to the top spot of the GT premier league when they inflicted a painful 1-0 defeat on Ashanti Gold at the Len Clay Stadium in Obuasi.
Against the form guide predictions that the Kotoko would go down heavily, Kotoko punished their bitterest rivals with a first half goal that turned out to be the only goal of the match.
Douglas Nkrumah capitalised on a goalmouth scramble to send the ball beyond the reach of goalkeeper Fatau Dauda in the final seconds of the two minutes added time at the end of the first half. The victory sent the teeming followers of Kotoko into wild jubilation as the streets of Obuasi immediately became jammed with drivers hooting their horns.
Ashanti Gold should blame themselves for the defeat, as the players took turns to throw away clear scoring chances especially in the first half.
In the 22nd minute, Ofosu Amoah, with only Kotoko's goalkeeper Habib Mohammed to beat, shot wide, whilst Opoku Agyeman could only managed to put the ball in the waiting hands of Habib in the 30th minute after picking an excellent from Ofosu Amoah in the box.
The visitors brought on Godfred Yeboah, Nana Arhin Duah and John Cudjoe for Michael Ofosu Appiah, Douglas Nkrumah and Injured Nii Odartey Lamptey in the 38th, 54th and 71st minutes respectively.
AshGold also replaced Richard Awuah and Ofosu Amoah with Thomas Duah and Mark Kumadzi, but their attempts to snatch the equaliser failed as the defence men of the "Porcupine Warriors," pivoted around skipper Issa Ahmed and Kenneth Ababio stood firm.