Samartex came from behind to beat Medeama 2-1 in Wednesday afternoon's outstanding match-week 20 encounter at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena.
There was plenty of pressure on Ibrahim Tanko's side having succumbed to Nations FC over the weekend, but the Timber Giants put salt in the wounds of their visitors as they responded by securing three crucial points against their fiercest Western Regional rivals.
The March midweek bout was far from a classic, but Samartex win meant they finally put some pressure on Premier League leaders Bibiani Gold Stars while piling more misery on inconsistent Yellow and Mauves.
There was an energy inside the Nsenkyire Arena which has failed to manifest in recent outings as the hosts have recorded just three wins, drawn five in their last eight matches, and Christopher Ennin's side thrived in the opening stages.
Much like the fixture here last season, Samartex were dominant territorially and stifled Medeama's build-up. Francis Gyetuah was the chief architect of the only goal in that match as the Timber Giants won 1-0 in the first round of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign in April last year.
Felix Kyei's coolness in possession was tested by the Timber Giants' intensity, and the young goalkeeper was almost caught out on a couple of occasions. Midfielder Emmanuel Owusu found the back of the net before half-time (45th minute) after Kelvin Nkrumah hit the post to put the visitors 1-0 up.
Samartex turnaround was complete in the 55th minute as they pulled off a stunning leveller. The Timber Giants have rarely had joy following high turnovers this season.
There was plenty of cheerleading from the hosts as they sought to retain their advantage which they were luckily awarded in the 77th minute which they scored from the spot-kick. The visitors, however, couldn't create against the league's unsmiling defence, who held on for a 2-1 win.
By: Pascal Amoah
