A CALM and business-like approach from top dogs Eastern prevented underdogs Kui Tan from causing a major upset in the first semi-final of the Esso FA Cup at the Hong Kong Stadium yesterday. Eastern, looking to win three of the four major trophies for the second season in succession, had too much quality for Kui Tan and ran out comfortable 3-0 winners. Kui Tan did not go down without a fight, however, and felt hard done by when Derek Hunter's header was ruled offside in the 22nd minute with the score still at 0-0. The architect of Eastern's win was skipper Lee Kin-wo, who played through the middle alongside Dale Tempest rather than out on the right wing. He set up Eastern's first two goals and scored the third to put his side in their second final of the season, following their penalty shootout victory over Instant-Dict in the Challenge Shield final last December. Kui Tan, who have relied on a solid defence and counter-attack all season, were caught on the break themselves in the 41st minute. Livewire midfielder Hunter, delighting the crowds on his side of the stadium as he teased Eastern's right flank, led a raid down the left wing but the support was slow to arrive and Kui Tan lost possession. Tempest broke down the right wing and passed to Lee, whose cross was dummied by midfielder Tam Siu-wai and the ball arrived at the feet of left-winger Ross Greer, who curled in his ninth goal of the campaign to put Eastern on their way. Kui Tan's lone striker John MacDonald, suffering in the heat and humidity, was substituted early in the second half before Eastern added a second goal in the 73rd minute. Right-winger Lo Kai-wah knocked a cross deep into the Kui Tan penalty area and Lee jumped well at the far post to head the ball back into the goalmouth, where midfielder Tim O'Shea steered his header beyond Yam Wai-hung for his seventh goal of the season. Well on top, Eastern made it 3-0 nine minutes from time when Lee stole half a yard on his markers and glanced in Tam's inswinging corner from the right. A fourth goal would have been cruel on Kui Tan, who had earned their semi-final spot by beating Sing Tao 3-1 in the first round and Voicelink 2-0 in the quarter-final, and they escaped without further damage. Announcing a win bonus of $6,500 per player, Eastern team manager Peter Leung said: ''The condition of the pitch was not good and affected the players but it was good experience ahead of the final, when I'm sure we will play much better. ''Our fitness was much better than Kui Tan's because we went to the Hong Kong Sports Institute to train for three or four days during the week and it really paid off.'' Kui Tan vice-chairman Raymond Ng Wai-man added: ''Eastern played very well and were the better team, although I am proud of our players for coming so far.'' Next season, Benny Tang Kar-hung, the vice-president of the club, will continue supporting the team and the budget will be much higher than this season's $3 million, provided they attract a major sponsor. ''All our expatriate players will probably leave Hong Kong at the end of the season and our sweeper, Lee Sai-cheong, will return to Kitchee after being with us on loan,'' added Ng. Eastern (4-4-2): Iain Hesford; Chan Chi-keung, Chiu Chun-ming, Brian Hayes, Lee Wai-man (Cheung Kam-wa, 84); Lo Kai-wah, Tim O'Shea, Tam Siu-wai, Ross Greer; Lee Kin-wo (Tong Yuen-sing, 84), Dale Tempest. Kui Tan (4-5-1): Yam Wai-hung; Richard Webb, Lee Sai-cheong, Richard Crossley, Nip Chak-hang; Keung Heung-fai, Lui Yee-cheung (Wong Man-chung, 78), Liu Woon-man, Steven Raynes, Derek Hunter; John MacDonald (Lau Ping-kwan, 64). Man of the Match: Lee Kin-wo (Eastern) - Made two goals and scored the third.