By Richard Beale……..
PREMATCH : ÇANAKKALE TSK v ESENTEPE KKSK.
Sunday October 15TH- K-Pet League 1 – kick off 3-30pm.
Venue : Çanakkale Muharrem Döveç Stadium.
Another Sunday match, sees Esentepe visit Famagüsta in round four of this season’s K-Pet League 1 programme.
Çanakkale is obviously famous with its connection with Turkish/Anglo war fought at Gallipoli. This Çanakkale is an area of Famagüsta near the end of the Lefkoşa/ Famagüsta main carriageway.
Çanakkale regained their League 1 status this summer after qualifying through the summer BTM League. They have been absent from League 1 since they were relegated in season 2011-12 and it has taken 5 long years to reclaim their place.
Çanakkale celebrating earlier in the summer promotion to League 1
This season they have found the step up to a higher standard of football tough, and after 3 matches played have just the 1 solitary point to show for their efforts. They have failed to find their opponents net so far this season and last weekend were thumped 4-0 at Doğancı.
Views of the MUHARREM DÖVEÇ STADIUM
Esentepe after 3 matches are still unbeaten but must put in a better performance than they showed last time out against Lapta. Veteran and prolific goalscorer Hasan Özcelik has returned from Turkey, though not fully recovered from his thigh injury, he will probably start on the bench but will be a more than useful replacement as an “impact’ player. I think the Coach will remain faithful to the players that started against Lapta.
On my only visit to the Muharrem Döveç Stadium over 5 years ago, I thought it was one of the worst stadiums I had visited in the TRNC. As I recall there were no toilets, so the outside boundary wall was used! and no refreshment stall as well, hopefully things have changed since then.
A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE.
This week’s trip is very limited as I seem to be suffering from lack of memory, when the two teams last met. (This was before I started keeping detailed records).
SEASON 2011-12 : ÇANAKKALE TSK 1 ESENTEPE KKSK 2.
Canakkale were in bottom place and would later be relegated at the end of the season. Can’t remember too much about the game, except Esentepe made hard work of it and had to rely on 2 late goals to win the match. EMRAH and MUMIN being the scorers. The match was played on the 10/3/2012.
ESENTEPE TEAM : Ali (gk) : Hasan, Berkan (c), Oğuz : UMAR, Vurkan, Emek, Nersin : Halil, Mumin, Emrah (Aras 75).
PREDICTION FOR SUNDAY’S MATCH : Esentepe will be favourites, and should win maybe 1-0.
DIRECTIONS TO THE STADIUM :
Leave Esentepe and take the road to Tatlısu, then turn right at junction and carry on that road until you come to the garage on the roundabout near Geçitkale. Go straight over, and keep on the new road until you meet up with the main Lefkoşa/Famagüsta road at Dörtyol. Turn left towards Famagüsta and keep on that road until you come to the roundabout at the end of the road at Famagüsta. Take the 3rd exist and on the 2nd roundabout near China Bazaar and then take the 3rd exit into Bayraktar Yolu SK. Keep on that road, bearing right and then turning right into Adem Kemal SK, Stadium which is in the 4th road on the left.
