By Richard Beale……
It’s nearly June, boiling hot, and yes a new football season is beginning ! On Sunday I watched Bahçeli and Alayköy share the points in a hard fought battle.
Details : Bahçeli SK 0 ALAYKÖY SKKD 0
Sunday, May 29: İKTİSATBANK BTM League 2, Group 3: Esentepe Erdal Barut Stadium.
The BTM League 2 is basically League 4, with 7 small groups competing, with the 2 best teams winning promotion to the BTM League 1. The League mainly consists of outlying villages it is a short season with some midweek matches being played, before the “big summer heat” sets in.
This match staged at Esentepe Erdal Barut Stadium attracted a very large crowd, probably more than Esentepe attracts, I think the whole of Bahçeli were having an evening out at the match İ have never seen the car park so full. Alayköy a village just outside Lefkoşa on the Güzelyurt road also were well supported.
On a very warm evening, both these teams should be applauded for providing us with good entertainment despite the 0-0 scoreline.
Bahçeli, Coached by Ex Esentepe footballer KAAN GÖRNEÇLİ, his first coaching position will see this match as 2 points lost as they created the better chances, Alaykoy will be very happy coming away with a point. Bahçeli goalkeeper Hüseyin had very little to do.
Kaan has assembled a large squad, he was missing some key players through injury but any team that contain players such as UĞURCAN BAŞAYAK, AHMET KARAL, and ALi SOYTÜRK should do well, I expect Bahçeli to be one of the leading teams in Group 3.
Bahçeli’s build up was good, with OSMAN KOC and AYDIN KARADAŞ linking up well it seemed that they could score with every attack but somehow the Alayköy defence held firm. They defended doggedly, somehow getting the ball away at crucial times, when they didn’t goalkeeper Ercan dealt with any threat. Alayköy employed an effective offside trap at times that frustrated Bahçeli.
HIGHLIGHTS:
10 mins: A Uğurcan corner from the left was met first time at the far post with an Ahmet Karal volley which went narrowly wide.
27 mins: A Ahmet Karal cross from the left was met this time by Uğurcan but his header went straight into the goalkeeper’s Ercan arms.
55 mins: A Uğurcan corner from the left was net with a spectacular scissor kick by Doğukan, though he didn’t quite connect properly his effort just cleared the Alayköy crossbar.
89 mins: Substitute Soner Soytürk’s free kick from the left was pushed onto the crossbar by goalkeeper Ercan, the rebound being scrambled away by a grateful defence.
90 +2: A Uğurcan corner from the left was met at the far post by Doğukan whose header was pushed away by goalkeeper Ercan.
A word for the referee FERHAT TUNA, with the hot conditions causing some short tempers İ, thought he handled the match well despite issuing 7 yellow cards. The match was also played in good spirits on and off the field – an enjoyable experience.
