EGE CAN just hidden by the post crosses to MELİH to score number 5.
By Richard Beale…
Esentepe did all what was asked of them putting 5 goals into the back of bottom club Yenierenköy net to move up to 3rd place in League 1.
Results: ESENTEPE KKSK 5 YENİERENKÖY TSK 0
Saturday April 8, 2023: AKSA League 1 : Esentepe Erdal Barut Stadium.
Weather: cloudy and chilly.
It’s very tight at the top in League 1 with leaders Karşıyaka and second place Yeniboğaziçi slightly pulling away from the pack in the automatic promotion places. In the play-off places only 2 points separate 5 teams, with 5 matches left to play it’s “squeaky bum” time again with no team affording a slip-up.
Esentepe did the business against bottom-placed Yenierenköy, never easy, a potential “banana skin “ match but the Scorpions did what they had to do, never getting out of third gear but it was enough to see off the visitors.
This was Yenierenkoöy first ever visit to Esentepe and sadly probably their last for quite a while. Promoted last season from the BTM League, the AKSA League 1 has been “a bridge too far” for them and they have taken some heavy punishment this season. A succession of Coaches and players have not helped their cause, forced now to play youngsters with some experience players in fairness they didn’t throw in the towel. In MMDUH DAĞ they had the best player on the park, a skilful midfield player, he would be a welcome asset to any other League 1 team. Yenierenköy Captain Mehmet Biricik, 18 year old Ali Kursun and talented winger Ersan Oztürk all showed fight in them and did themselves proud.
A disappointing crowd added to the lack of atmosphere, understandably Esentepe could not raise to the heights they have shown previously. They got the job and now we move onto the next potential “easy” matches on Wednesday away to Yilmazköy and on Sunday home to Dörtyol, both clubs fighting for their lives in the relegation “play off “ places, so neither of them will be “easy’.
Back to the match Yenierenköy had virtually only one chance of the match in the 17th minute when Rojhat got in a cross on the right where it was met at the far post by Hasan Emre hooking in a shot, that the Esentepe goalkeeper Osman showed great reflexes diving to his right to parry the ball.
After that chance it was virtually one way traffic with forward MELIH NIŞANCI continuing to improve with every match, he is becoming a very important member of the team. It was a “toss up” with him and left back Emek Kırlımaz for Esentepe “Man of the Match”, the veteran scored two goals as well, was always available on the overlap and his experience was invaluable to the team.
Esentepe have stretched their unbeaten run now to 12 matches, maybe they have peaked too soon, let’s hope not and they can keep it going.
With the match won Esentepe made full use of their replacement bench, giving valuable playing time to squad players.
GOALS:
19 mins: Esentepe were awarded a free kick on the right side of the box, unstopped “my trusty left foot” EMEK KIRILMAZ to beat the Yenierenköy goalkeeper Zeki with a low shot that beat him on his near post. 1-0
23 mins: Another dead ball from Emek this time a corner from the right was hooked in the near post by defender DEVRAN GÜNEŞ. 2-0
51 mins: Melih did well on the right to keep the ball alive crossing low to Deniz who advanced into the box only to be brought down by the advancing goalkeeper Zeki. – EMEK KIRILMAZ put away the penalty his 7th in succession and his 9th goal of the season. 3-0
79th min: A low looping cross from Ege on the right was misjudged by the goalkeeper and his defence where lurking at the far post was MELIH NIŞANCI who reacted quickly with a diving header to score a well-deserved goal.
87th min: Esentepe ended the match with a great goal Ege Can providing the cross again from the right which was swept home first time by MELIH NIŞANCI for his second goal of the match. 5-0.
ESENTEPE TEAM: Osman (gk) ; Mahmut Izoğlu (Semih 46), Devran (Okan 58), Nersin © (Şahin 71), Emek : Tuğra (Mustafa 68) ; Emre, Salih : Ege Can : Deniz (Hüseyin 68), MELIH.
Replacements not used: Ulaş (gk), Mahmut Şen.
YENIERENKOY TEAM: Zeki (gk) ; Mehmet ©, Berkan, Murat, Ismail, Rojhat (Kayra 77), MEMDUH, Ali, Devrim, (Gökhan 89), Hasan (Mehmet Körük (55),, Ersan.
Yellow cards – Devran, Mahmut, Okan (Esentepe). Zeki, İsmail (Yenierenköy)
Referee – Zekai Töre – good.
