By Richard Beale…………..
Result : HAMITKÖY ŞHSK 3 ESENTEPE KKSK 3.
Saturday November 25, 2017 : K-Pet League 1 : Venue : Hamitköy Esat Erdoğmuş Stadı.
A cold cloudy afternoon with a hint of rain in the air greeted around the 100 spectators who had gathered in Lefkoşa to see this League 1 clash. Hamitköy who were in second place and enjoying a run of eight consecutive wins, were dealt a hammer blow with the news that 12 goal top scorer Özgür Ongun was feeling unwell and was unable to start the match. Özgür so often the “scourge” of Esentepe defences in past matches, took a place on the substitute bench, the dodgy kebab Esentepe supplied must have worked!
HAMİTKÖY ŞHSK v ESENTEPE KKSK
The first half was generally a poor affair with both goalkeepers rarely called upon in action. There were plenty of misdirected passes, numerous fouls and little to warm up the crowd on this cold November afternoon.
Hamitköy took the lead in the 38th minute, when Esentepe Hasan slipped enabling Toykan to break on the left his cross found MAHMUT YUMUSAT who, despite challenges from Onur and Mahmut,managed to beat goalkeeper Kemal with a shot. 1-0.
Action photos from the match
Really with their first meaningful attack Esentepe equalised in the 41st minute, from a rare source with another Mahmut, this time MAHMUT IZOĞLU being the scorer. Great play on the left by Ahmet Karal, who got round the back of Latif, picking out Mahmut who in turn passed and received a clever back flick from Eser, to get round the back and fire past Kemal Ağrı. This was only his second goal of his career in nearly 110 appearances, as rare as finding a 50tl note in my wallet! HALF TIME SCORE : 1-1.
Esentepe looked comfortable at the start of the second half, occupying the opposition area without really creating anything. But they were undone again in the 56th minute, with another defensive lapse, this time Nersin was slow to challenge for a high ball which was flicked on by Toykan into the path of ENDER who flicked the ball over Kemal and ran on to put the ball ınto an empty net. 2-1.
Esentepe refused to be intimidated and equalised again in the 61st minute, when Nersin made amends sending a long ball which striker Hasan Özçelik did well to head down to AHMET KARAL to hit a superb first time volley past Kemal Ağri in the Hamitköy goal. 2-2.
The speedy Ahmet was causing all sorts of problems to Hamitköy defence on the right, this time his cross found striker Hasan Özçelik in space whose fierce shot was beaten away by the keeper.
Again in the 72nd minute Ahmet was involved again, sending the overlapping Emre away on the right, the teenager’s cross was met at the far post by a well placed Eser but he shot wide of goal.
Against the run of play in the 77th minute, Hamitköy forced a corner after a mistake by Esentepe’s Onur. Mahmut Yumusat corner was met at the far post by a header from a Hamitköy player, Ender headed it goalwards only to see the ball headed off the line by Nersin. Unfortunately the rebound was met by SALİH who put ın past Kemal. 3-2.
Another corner in the 81st minute from Mahmut Yumusat saw Eyüp to slid in at the far post, only to see Kemal make a smart diving save.
Esentepe brought on midfielder Burak in place of defender Hasan in the 65th minute. This was Burak’s first appearance for a long while after recovering from a long-term injury, with his first touch of the ball he helped provide an equaliser in the 85th minute for Esentepe. His long ball up the left was chased by HASAN ÖZÇELIK with Hamitkoy defender Ender as company who intended to leave the ball to goalkeeper Kemal Ağrı. Unfortunately the goalkeeper missed the ball allowing Hasan to side foot the ball into an empty net
FULL TIME SCORE : 3-3.
L-R Celebrations : Hamitköy MAHMUT YUMUSAT, Esentepe’s MAHMUT IZOĞLU and HASAN ÖZÇELIK.
SUMMING UP : Another brave team performance by a plucky Esentepe side.
Esentepe heads never dropped and before the match you would have gladly accepted to take home a point from an informed team.
Coach Davut Kansu can feel proud of their team, who all worked so hard for him. They are not playing to their full potential, but they have such a team spirit installed in them, they do not know when to throw in the towel. On the negative side three individual defensive errors led to Hamitköy’s goals, which was un-Esentepe like.
Esentepe best player was AHMET KARAL, having his best game since returning to the Club. He was always a handful on the right scored 1 goal and created another one.
ESENTEPE TEAM : (4-4-1-1, replacements in brackets, merit marks out of 10}
Kemal Molla (gk) 6 : Emre 6, Hasan Sungur 6, Nersin 6, Onur 6 : AHMET 8, Mahmut 7,Yakup 6 (Hüseyin 63 mins), Eser 5 : Başak (c) 5 : Hasan Özçelik 6.
Esentepe replacements not used : Hüseyin Ikinci (gk), Muhammed, Turan, Asil .
HAMITKOY TEAM :Kemal Ağrı (gk) : Latif (Ömer 71), Ragıp, Ender, , MAHMUT YUMUSAT, Eyüp, Umut, Halıl Ibrahim (Özgür 68), Hakan (Hüseyin Çidamli 58) Salih, Toykan.
Referee : Hasan Eriş – average.
Yellow cards : HAMITKOY : Eyüp : ESENTEPE : Mahmut.
ESENTEPE NEXT MATCH : Sunday 3 December : ko 2-00pm : Home :
ESENTEPE KKSK v GIRNE HALK EVI.
Video highlights of the Hamitköy ŞHSK v Esentepe KKSK match by Graham Procter-Brown
