Hats signs off with a Southend hat-trick

1:03pm Tuesday 18th March 2008

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FAAPULOU Soolefai waved goodbye to Warners Bridge with a hat-trick of tries for Southend in a 59-12 triumph over Henley on Saturday.

In his final home game for the Seasiders the Samoan, who is nicknamed Hats, touched down three times to help his team secure victory and National Two survival.

And that delighted coach Kevin Harman, who said: "It was an excellent day all around."

"Hats scored three times, which was great in his last home game for us, and it was well deserved after everything he has done for us during his time here.

"On top of that though the win makes us mathematically safe from relegation and the performance was excellent too.

"I would say it was definitely our best all round display of the season.

"The forwards were excellent and gave the backs some excellent ball which they made the most of as we scored nine tries to give Henley their biggest defeat of the season."

Harman also opted to shake up his backs for the clash with Simon Hoult moving to full-back, Chris Green to centre and Joel Johnston coming into the side at fly-half.

That caused the visitors problems and also pleased Harman.

"It worked very well," he declared. "Chris was excellent in what was his first game of the season at centre. Everyone did their job well and it was just an all round solid display."

It did not take Southend long to get going against their struggling visitors and they opened the scoring after just five minutes with a try from winger Tyson Lewis after the ball had been popped along the backs.

Andrew Frost made light work of the conversion and the Seasiders were soon further ahead when they made maximum use of a penalty as hooker Nicky Pay touched down after an excellent drive for the line by the Southend pack.

Lewis again went over in the 23rd minute after an excellent break Frost.

He beat a mass of defenders before passing to his fellow winger and then also adding the conversion to make it 19-0.

A penalty try, following a high tackle from Henley's outside centre Angelo Flammia, then extended the home side's lead, along with Frost's conversion.

And on the stroke of half-time Soolefai scored his first try of the afternoon as he collected the ball and sprinted for the line.

Frost added the extras to make it 33-0 and Southend continued to dominate during the second half with Soolefai scoring again after an excellent breakthrough from replacement Mark Billings, who came on for the injured Simon Hoult early on.

Frost again converted and in the 62nd minute it was Billings' turn to touch down for a try as he outmaneuvered the defence to score.

And Frost made it 47-0 with the conversion before putting his side further ahead with a try of his own to take his personal points tally to 17.

Henley hit back with a try from scrum half James Gaunt but Southend immediately replied with Soolefai scoring and then also converting his try.

That delighted the watching spectators and although Liam Wordley scored the last try of the game for Henley there was no denying that the day belonged to Southend and their departing star Soolefai.

Southend: Hoult, Lewis, Soolefai, C Green, Frost, Johnston, Powell, Williams, Pay, Guess, McClintock, Waring, Legge, Johnson, Connors.