By Richard Beale….

They came in their smart team bus together with many of their supporters, who were treated to a Champions performance by their team who are now 17 points ahead of their nearest rivals, who in all but name are CHAMPIONS.

Result ; ESENTEPE KKSK 0 MIRACLE DEĞİRMENLIK SK 4

Sunday, February 18, 2024: AKSA League 1: Esentepe Erdal Barut Stadium.

 Weather: sunny at first, showers later.

Esentepe suffered their heaviest home defeat for many a season, they can have no complaints, they were outclassed, outgunned and outfought by a team who are Super League in all but name.

If Esentepe has aspirations of the Super League then this is a rude awakening of what standard of football they can expect.

Everything about Değirmenlik is first class, not only their team bus, it’s on how they prepare in the warm-ups, and their preparation is spot on. Yes, they have rich sponsors, and ambitious owners they can sign top players, but their performances on the field warrant it.

At times it seemed that Değirmenlik had 12 players on the field, they always had a spare player in space, even when they had a player sent off in the 74th minute it made no difference they continued to dominate.

Esentepe “huffed and puffed”, you can’t fault the player's effort, they kept trying to the bitter end and the largest crowd of the season was present, many from Değirmenlik which is a short trip just over the mountains.

Esentepe started well, having their best spell of the match in the opening 15 minutes without looking likely to score.

After that they surrendered the midfield to their opponents Tuğra and young Mehmet Ada tried their best, there was no lack of effort on their part but Esentepe's lack of a midfield “general” was cruelly exposed.

The visitor's giant in midfield İlyas Bulut who must be 6ft 10 ins tall was their driving force so skillful for such a big man, he was assisted by Adil Yalçın and left-back Hasan Ukukök a Jack Grealish lookalike who often supported the attack and midfield.

That was it really for the rest of the game Değirmenlik dominated the match with MAN OF THE MATCH - HÜSEYİN DEYNEKLİ (Bıldırın) Ex-Esentepe player causing havoc on the right wing. He was marked by Emek Kırlımaz who is a very good, experienced left back but when faced with blistering pace, he was chasing Hüseyin’s shadow all match.

36th minutes Değirmenlik's pressure finally paid off, a great through ball sent Hüseyin away down the right, his low cross was tapped in by recent new signing ERHAN ÇINAR, a good team goal 1-0

It should have been 2-0 in the 39th minute when the two Hüseyins - Sadıklar and Deynekli combined well, the latter crossing where Erhan blazed over the bar.

Hüseyin Deynekli again caused havoc down the right crossed to Semih to crash a shot against the crossbar.

Değirmenlik were well worth their first-half lead, they were a different class playing at a different level than Esentepe, and they should have been leading 3-0.

HALF TIME SCORE: 0-1

Whatever Esentepe Coach Davut told his players during the break, it had gone out of the window as Değirmenlik scored a second goal after 47 minutes. The goal scorer was HÜSEYİN DEYNEKLİ, scoring against his old club, on his own on the edge of the penalty area, he thundered in a drive that went in off the crossbar. 0-2

50 minutes the closest Esentepe came to scoring a good Semih cross from the right was flicked onto the Değirmenlik crossbar first time by Deniz.

Bıldırın (Hüseyin Deynekli produced a lovely cross, Erhan heading back across goal just wide of the Esentepe left-hand post.

64 minutes and another goal for the visitors again set up by Bıudırın with Esentepe switching off leaving an unmarked ERHAN ÇINAR to pivot and rifle home. 0-3

74 minutes Değirmenlik were down to 10 men when Hasan Ukukök previously yellow carded was shown another one after a heavy challenge on Mehmet Ada.

It made no difference as the visitors continued to dominate, goalkeeper Hasan Piro having not a single shot to save all during thematch.

90 minutes Bıldırın burst into the box only to be tripped by Devran a clear penalty. ERHAN ÇINAR completed his hat trick with the resultant penalty scoring his first goals for his new club.

FULL-TIME SCORE 0-4.

SUMMING UP: Not a shock score, Esentepe was totally outclassed. The team that finished the first half of the season in second place with a 7-point cushion has seen that eroded away with 4 defeats in 5 matches which has also sapped confidence. Injuries and suspensions haven’t helped with next Saturday's match away to Geçitkale now a must-win to arrest this worrying slide.

ESENTEPE TEAM: Osman (gk ) ; Salih ( Mustafa 68), Nersin (c), OĞUZ, Emek (Burak Tümkan78) : Mehmet Ada, Tuğra (Devran 78), Burak Karabacak (Şahin 68) ; Semih (Ali 55), Efe, Deniz.

 Replacements not used: Ulaş, Can (kg.’s), Okan, Dinçer.

MIRACLE DEĞİRMENLIK TEAM: Hasan Piro (gk) ; Huseyin Sailer, Halil, Adil Yalçin, Hasan Ulukök, Kağan, İlyas, Semih ( Barkan 75), Kasım (Ulaş 75), Erhan, HÜSEYİN DEYNEKLİ.

Red card - Hasan Ulukök. Yellow cards Tuğra, Semih (Esentepe) Ilyas, Hüseyin Deynekli (Değirmenlik)

 Referee - EVREN KARADEMİR - great game, on top of the game, and happy to play the advantage.

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https://cyprusscene.com/2024/02/21/esentepe-steamrolled-by-the-champions-elect/