By Richard Beale…………
An ERAY ERGİN “hat trick” completed a satisfactory evening against already promoted Dumlupınar in Esentepe’s last League match of this extraordinary and strange season.
Result : ESENTEPE KKSK 3 YONPAŞ DUMLUPINAR TSK 2
Sunday July 19, 2020 : K-Pet League 1 : Erdal Barut Stadium.
With Dumlupınar already promoted and Esentepe virtually guaranteed a promotion “playoff spot” with a +4 goal advantage over Maraş, it was not surprising that this match had a typical last match of the season atmosphere about it.
It was a surprise that Dumlupınar fielded virtually their entire Under 21 team (that had won the U21 League Championship) together with only a couple of replacements players with League 1 experience.
Esentepe had a different problem, they have a number of players on 3 yellow cards, so they made changes themselves. In the end, Esentepe came through unscathed picking up no yellow cards and more importantly no injuries. This wın enabled Esentepe to finish in 4th place in the League, an outstanding achievement for a Club with no money, having one of the smallest squads in the League, but what they have got is youth some exciting youngsters together with the right mixture of more experienced players coupled with an undying team spirit and togetherness. The “playoffs” start on Wednesday, July 22, and they hold no fear for Esentepe, they are the underdogs, the other 3 big teams have all the pressure we are not expected to progress we can play relaxed football.
ESENTEPE ON THEIR WAY TO THE PLAYOFFS !
Dumlupınar youngsters were out to impress Coach Sedat Devecioğlu which they did without fully extended Esentepe who just did enough to win.
Dumlupınar came close to opening the scoring in the 10th minute when Burak cracked a low free kick that struck the Esentepe right hand post before being cleared.
Esentepe took the lead in the 23rd minute following a Yakup corner taken from the left which ERAY ERGİN simply flicked into the net. 1-0
In the 40th minute, Şükrü should have increased Esentepe’s lead after being put through but his poor shot hit the Dumlupınar goalkeeper Alihan on the foot and went for a corner.
That miss proved costly for Esentepe as Uğurcan and Şaıin got in a tangle trying to clear the ball on the right hand byline Hüseyin Ulak nipped in stole the ball crossed to the far post where EMRE KARACİGER slotted home. HALF TIME SCORE : 1-1
It only took a minute of the second half for Esentepe to regain their lead, a Mahmut long ball saw Şükrü making his way into the Dumlupınar goal area where he was bundled off it and sent tumbling to the floor by Mehmet Gökbiyik. ERAY ERGİN made no mistake with the resultant penalty. 2-1
In the 51st minute, a collision between goalkeeper Alihan and Mehmet Gökbiyik trying to defend a cross left the simple task of ERAY ERGİN to complete his hat trick with a low shot that took a deflection from just outside the penalty spot. 3-1
Dumlupınar gamely replied with a goal in the 63rd minute from ALİ BAYIR after some poor Esentepe defending failing to deal with a left hand cross. 3-2
85 minutes with his first touch of the match replacement Mustafa Soytürk fizzled in a shot that just went past the Dumlupınar left hand post.
The remainder of the match was played out with no further thrills as both teams made changes, the game was played in good spirit with no nastiness, well refereed by Serkan Durmaz who had a relatively calm match to handle.
FULL TIME SCORE : 3-2
MAN OF THE MATCH – ERAY ERGİN – as well as scoring 3 goals, worked hard and linked up well with the midfield players.
