A SEASON which began in frustration and uncertainty for striker Dale Tempest is ending in truly spectacular style. At Mongkok Stadium last night, the 30-year-old Eastern marksman swept Hong Kong to an exhilarating 3-2 victory over Shanghai in the Interport Cup with another quality hat-trick. Trailing 0-2 with only 20 minutes to go, Hong Kong appeared to be out for the count against opponents who looked much fresher and sharper. But Tempest had other ideas and spearheaded a stirring late rally. First he headed home a cross from Lee Kin-wo in the 71st minute to give Hong Kong a glimmer of hope; then he sent the crowd wild in injury time by popping up unmarked on the far post to score with another header after his Eastern teammate, Ross Greer, had nodded on a right-wing corner from Lee Kin-wo. There was no stopping Hong Kong now and, in the last minute of the first period of extra-time, Tempest powered clear on the right held off a couple of challenges from a tiring Shanghai defence and lobbed the ball over the 'keeper and into the far corner for his hat-trick and the winner. It was a magnificent effort by the Hong Kong team, who could have been forgiven for going down with grace after a long drawn-out season and with English FA Cup runners-up Chelsea due here next Sunday to help the Hong Kong FA celebrate their 80th anniversary. And for Tempest it was just another page in an eventful season. In the last few weeks he has bagged a hat-trick against world club champions Sao Paulo, scored twice in Eastern's FA Cup final victory over Happy Valley, once against Sampdoria last Wednesday and finished the campaign as the top scorer in the First Division with 24 goals. On Saturday he was the runner-up to Instant-Dict's Roddy Manley in the Overseas Players' Player of the Year award and yesterday he was named Foreign Player of the Year in a poll run by RTHK in association with the Hong Kong FA and the Hong Kong Chinese Footballers' Association. And all this at the end of a season which began in turmoil. Having been released in controversial fashion by Eastern at the end of last season, Tempest returned to the territory without a club and found brief employment with Kitchee before Eastern took him back on. Victory seemed a long way away last night, though, when Shanghai striker Li Xiao caught the home defence flat-footed and headed in the opening goal in the 42nd minute. Shanghai, beaten on penalties by Hong Kong after a 0-0 draw last season, doubled their lead in the 66th minute when substitute Shen Si got round the back of the Hong Kong defence and his low, angled drive deflected into the net off Hong Kong sweeper Yan Lik-kin. Hong Kong had struggled up front before a couple of tactical changes. Eastern's Rangers-bound schemer Tam Siu-wai was replaced by South China's Shum Kwok-pui at half-time and Shum, together with the outstanding Tim O'Shea, who moved up from the back line into midfield, toughened up Hong Kong through the middle. Tempest's strike-partner, South China's Au Wai-lun, went off in the 59th minute. His replacement, Instant's Lam Hing-lun, took up his customary role on the left flank, enabling Ross Greer to join Tempest in the forward line. With Eastern skipper Lee being given so much room on the right flank, the new formation worked a treat. Trailing 1-2 after Tempest's 71st-minute header, Hong Kong launched one last raid in the third minute of injury time - and Lee, Greer and Tempest combined to take the match into extra-time. And in an all-action finale, Tempest won the day - before limping off with a twisted right knee. TEAMS Hongkong (4-4-2): Chan Sau-yin; Yau Kin-wai, Yan Lik-kin, Chan Chi-keung, Lee Wai-man; Lee Kin-wo, Tim O'Shea, Tam Siu-wai (Shum Kwok-pui 46), Ross Greer; Au Wai-lun (Lam Hing-lun 59), Dale Tempest (Chiu Chun-ming 120). Shanghai (4-4-2): Jia Chunha; Yao Chun, Wu Bing, Mao Yijun, Cheng Yuedong (Zhu Qi 71); Alexandre Zakhartov (Shen Si 52), Liu Jun, Li Longhai, Zhu Jiong; Li Xiao (Lu Wei 96), Vladimir Nakhratov. Man of the Match: Dale Tempest (Hongkong) - Class finishing to win the day.