By Liam Coventry-Poole
Hume City scored four second half goals to deny a fast-finishing NTC outfit last night, eventually winning 4-3 at Olympic Village.
It was a high scoring affair, with six of the seven goals coming in the second half. Two late NTC goals weren't enough to force a draw, with Hume City holding on for the win.
Hume were in control of the early stages of the match, producing some good chances for Burak Ozdemir and Turhan Sumbul to opening to scoring in the first ten minutes.
Sumbul had a golden opportunity in the 11th minute, receiving the ball right in front of goal. After a touch he hit the ball from close range, but sprayed he’s finish wide, a chance he definitely should have put away.
NTC’s first good chance came in the 16th minute after John Reale put in an accurate low cross to the near post. David Stirton was in waiting, but was off balance when he struck the ball, unable to get his foot around it, spraying the ball wide.
Turhan Sumbul was at it again in the 19th minute, this time calling NTC goalkeeper Luke Gavalas into action after he struck the ball well just outside the box. The shot had a lot of power on it, but went straight to Gavalas, who couldn’t hold onto it, but denied the goal nonetheless.
Hume were applying a lot of pressure on the NTC ball carriers, surrounding the player on the ball and forcing countless turnovers. In the first 25 minutes they were proving to be a little too strong and organised for a young NTC outfit.
Hume City continued to attack and penetrate the NTC defence on a number of occasions. In the 22nd minute, Burak Ozdemir almost got onto a through ball to the edge of the box, before being stopped in his tracks by a courageous clearance by Gavalas, who came off his line to boot the ball into touch.
Hume’s Ross Thompson was the next to try at breaking the deadlock, receiving a deflection off a shot on the edge of the box, forcing it wide for a corner.
After the half hour NTC’s work rate increased and they began to bring themselves into the match, much more confident and efficient on the ball, especially in midfield.
NTC’s Robert Naumoski almost caught Lupce Acevski out, when a destined cross turned into an unexpected shot, causing a wrong-footed Acevski to stretch for the save.
NTC’s hard work paid off at the 34th minute mark when David Stirton opened the scoring. He was played through into the box and had no problem finishing past Acevski, with an intelligent lob into the top corner, giving Acevski no chance.
NTC almost had a second just a few minutes later, when Quinn McDonald switched play to David Stirton making a run into the box. Stirton went around Acevski, but was forced well wide. The net was gaping, but his attempted cross only found the hands of Lupce Acevski standing tall.
In the closing stages of the first half NTC continued to pressure Hume City’s back men, with a healthy carry of the ball through central midfield. Hume’s early pressure had worn off and it was NTC now forcing the turnovers.
Right on the edge of half time Hume thought they had equalised through Turhan Sumbul. The referee disallowed the goal, after he judged that Sumbul had purposively handled the ball to his favour, receiving a yellow card for the infringement.
NTC went into the break leading 1-0, after a better display in the final 15 minutes of the half.
Hume came out firing after the break, immediately setting up Burak Ozdemir for another chance, going just wide of the post.
Hume’s early pressure, much like the start of the first half, continued and they were rewarded in the 54th minute when Sumbul opened the scoring. It was a lovely solo effort, which started in central midfield. Sumbul made his run straight through the NTC defence, beating three and going onto score to the bottom corner of the net.
Hume grabbed the lead just one minute later, putting two past Gavalas in just two minutes. This time it was Jake Nakic with the honours, scoring with a spectacular left foot strike from just outside the box, giving Gavalas no chance.
NTC began to crack under pressure, similar to their start to the first half, turning the ball over in midfield, mostly unforced and due to basic errors.
Thompson almost punished NTC for their mistakes, after collecting the ball from a turnover in the 62nd minute. He failed to put the shot on target, shooting wide from distance.
NTC began to pull themselves back into the match once again, pressing up front with some cheeky runs by substitute Peter Skapitis on the right hand side, and McDonald through the centre.
Ozdemir came close in the 71st, he was played through into the box from a long ball from a kickoff, going wide of the far post after the closing in NTC defenders applied pressure on him.
Hume were awarded a penalty in the 72nd minute, after Sumbul was taken down in the box following a late challenge by returning defender Andrew Mullett. Thompson stepped up for the spot kick and had no trouble putting in Hume’s third for the half.
Hume had another in the 81st minute, this time the result of a poor turnover in defence. Sumbul happily received the turnover, but to make matters worse, practically waltzed past four NTC defenders and into box, before finishing well from close range.
NTC pulled one back just two minutes later courtesy of a terrific strike by substitute Erol Korkmaz. John Reale played a ball wide to Korkmaz who made a well-timed run into the box. The finish was superb, right into the far top corner, giving Acevski little chance to deny NTC their second of the night.
NTC amazingly found themselves within a goal when they, just like Hume earlier in the half, scored a second consecutive goal one minute later. This time it was John Reale, going around Acevski and running into the goal, putting it past two Hume defenders who were acting as goalkeeper with Acevski well off his line.
NTC couldn’t manage to register another shot on goal in the dying moments, and Hume were successful, winning 4-3 in a night which saw 15 goals in total, after a 4-4 draw in the under reserves clash.
Next Wednesday night NTC are at Kevin Bartlett Reserve for a hit out against Richmond, while Hume face South Melbourne this Sunday afternoon at John Cain Memorial Park, trying to make it four wins in a row and take back the top spot on the Victorian Premier League ladder.
Hume City: Lupce ACEVSKI, Michael BOSEVSKI (Muhammed KURUCU 46’), Alexander PAVASOVIC, Brendan BENI, Kadir IRFANOGLU (Christopher AILAKIS 55’), Ross THOMPSON, Bobby VIDANOSKI, Dusko DELIC (Tahsin KAYA 46’), Turhan SUMBUL, Burak, OZDEMIR, Jake NAKIC
Unused subs: Ali CATAK
Yellow cards: Turhan SUMBUL 45’, Jake NAKIC 76’
Goals: Turhan SUMBUL 54’, Jake NAKIC 55’, Ross THOMPSON 73’, Turhan SUMBUL 81’
N.T.C: Luke GAVALAS (GK), Luc JEGGO (Liam FRANCIS 78’), Andrew MULLETT, Curran FERNS, Robert NAUMOSKI, Joel BALDWIN, Matthew THOMAS, Quinn McDONALD (Errol KORKMAZ 69’), Zoran SURDOSKI (Peter SKAPITIS 56’), David STIRTON, John REALE
Yellow cards: David STIRTON 40’
Goals: David STIRTON 34’, Errol KORKMAZ 83’, John REALE 85’
Last updated: Thursday July 22, 2010 12:19PM
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