Tempest hits three in rout
AN outstanding second-half display from Eastern striker Dale Tempest lifted his side to a 5-1 victory over Kitchee in a Hong Kong First Division match at Mongkok Stadium last night.
Tempest, who began the season with Kitchee after being released by Eastern at the end of their championship-winning campaign, only to be re-hired in October, scored a hat-trick and set up the other two goals for Ross Greer and Tim O'Shea.
Kitchee replied through Tristram Morgan in the final minute of a match which was deadlocked 0-0 at half-time - until Tempest stepped in and took his season's tally to 16, eight clear of his nearest rivals.
Eastern, bouncing back from their 3-2 defeat by Happy Valley in their previous league outing, now have 24 points from nine games, three clear of second-placed South China and with a match in hand.
Tempest opened his account in the 49th minute, acrobatically volleying in a low right-wing cross from skipper Lee Kin-wo.
In the 65th minute, Tempest crossed from the right and Greer turned the ball in for his fifth goal of the season.
Kitchee, who had defended well in the first half, fell apart in the second and conceded two more in the next nine minutes.
Eastern defender Lee Wai-man's cross from the left in the 68th minute caught out the Kitchee defence and Tempest was unmarked on the back post to head home from close range. He completed his hat-trick six minutes later when running on to a left-wing throwfrom Greer and crashing the ball first time with his left foot past Hong Kong 'keeper Chung Ho-yin and into the far corner.
The champions added their fifth with only six minutes remaining. When midfielder Tam Siu-wai's left-wing corner sailed over the crowded penalty area, Tempest rose beyond the far post to knock the ball back for O'Shea to head in from six yards.
The league takes a break for a week because of the first leg of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Interport Cup at Mongkok Stadium on Sunday.
The next league action is a double-header on Thursday between Voicelink and Kitchee, followed by Kui Tan and Happy Valley.
