ÖZGÜR HAUNTS ESENTEPE AGAIN

By Richard Beale….

Hamıitköy veteran striker ÖZGÜR ONGUN continued his incredible scoring record against Esentepe when he scored the only the goal of the match to give the visitors a well-deserved 3 points and condemn Esentepe to their first home defeat of the season.

Result ; ESENTEPE KKSK 0 HAMITKÖY ŞHSK 1

Saturday February 3, 2024 : AKSA League 1: Esentepe Erdal Barut Stadium.

Weather: Cloudy occasional sun.

As I predicted in my pre-match it came as no surprise to me that Özgün Ongun would score against Esentepe, like he has done for all the many clubs he had played for. Özgür may be less mobile now but his football brain is still very much active, he was streets ahead with his reading of the game, showing some lovely skills.

Hamitköy fully deserved the points it would have been a travesty if they didn’t come away with anything but a win. Esentepe put plenty of effort in, they ‘huffed and puffed” but they were outclassed in the end.

You can’t be too hard on Esentepe their small squad has been decimated by suspension and injuries but they were not quite at the races in this match.

Hamitköy is quite a youthful team, especially in defence with Cuma, and Salih Sakalli impressing the Coach has complete confidence in his younger players.

Hamitköy goalkeeper MAHMUT DEMİRCAN in action

They created the better chances and could have scored more but the slippery surface at times meant players losing their footing at crucial times.

The Hamitköy first attack in the 10th minute almost produced a goal. Veteran Özgür got the better of Esentepe veteran Okan by the left-hand corner flag, his cross was only partially cleared to the edge of the box where

Eser cracked a shot against the right-hand post.

Esentepe then had a good spell of pressure without really troubling Mahmut in the visitor’s goal but enjoying plenty of possession.

In the 13th minute, a long ball from Emek found new signing Efe to control and turn and send a shot over the bar.

Esentepe continued to pressure in the 36th minute an Emek free kick looked certain to find the head of Okan in a great position but Ilyas got in the way first and kneed the kick wide.

I was very impressed by Esentepe’s teenager Mehmet Ada who was putting in a lot of energy into his play. With veteran Emek often overlapping, these days he hasn’t the legs to track back when an attack breaks down but Mehmet Ada read the danger and covered for Emek on a number of occasions.

Esentepe pressure came to nothing and their old nemesis ÖZGÜR ONGUN came back to haunt them in the 38th minute. A ball to the far post of the left found the striker whose hard shot was deflected off the face of Esentepe’s Okan and went in despite a gallant effort by goalkeeper Osman to save the effort. Osman got a hand to it but it was hit with so much ferocity he couldn’t prevent the goal.

HALF TIME SCORE : 0-1

The opening 15 minutes of the second half was very scrappy it took a good save with his feet by Osman in the 60th minute to prevent Altan scoring after he had been set up by Özgür.

Esentepe’s best chance of the match came in the 65th minute when Salih spotted Efe run, though he looked offside, the Turkish striker went on into the area with only Mahmut to beat but had a rush of blood and blasted the ball over the bar.

Hamitköy continued to look dangerous on breakaways with Esentepe becoming more and more frustrated as the game wore on.

In the 81^st minute, a Tuğra low past found Efe whose shot from the edge of the box went wide of the left-hand post.

Salih had a shot parried by Mahmut these were half chances for Esentepe in truth they didn’t look like scoring.

With 6 minutes of injury time being played Esentepe won a corner, and goalkeeper Osman was pushed up for Emek’s corner. As with the norm when goalkeepers are pushed up they always are a threat, Osman got his head to the ball but it wasn’t a clear chance. The ball was quickly switched up field with Osman still scrambling to get back, a clearance rebounded of an Esentepe player and it looked like it would end up as a bizarre own goal but Mehmet Ada just managed to get back and clear the ball away as it was just going over the line.

FULL TIME SCORE : ESENTEPE KKSK 0 HAMITKÖY ŞHSK 1

ESENTEPE TEAM: Osman (gk) ; Mustafa, Nersin (c), Okan (Salih 46),, Emek : Tuğra, Ilyas (Semih 57), Burak (Şahin 70) MEHMET ADA ; Emre ; Efe.

Esentepe replacements: Ulaş, Can (gk), Gökdeniz, Mahmut Şen, Ibrahim, Ege Can.

HAMİTKÖY TEAM: Mahmut (gk), Ismail, Salih Adakan (c), Hasan, Salih Sakallıi Eser, Uğur, Altan (Taner 84), Serhat, (Ersan 90), ÖZGÜR (David 85),Cuma

Referee: Hakan Unal – excellent match – didn’t take any playacting by the players, telling them to get on with it.

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