Harding signs off with treble

8:35am Tuesday 22nd April 2008

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Dorset & Wilts One South

WEYMOUTH 62

BLANDFORD 0

WEYMOUTH stalwart Paul Harding went out with a bang at Monmouth Avenue - scoring three tires in Weymouth's 62-0 thumping of Blandford.

Unfortunately for the Seasiders, victory was not enough to prize third spot away from Bridport who beat Wimborne in their final game.

Weymouth bounced back from last week's disappointing defeat at Bridport to produce a display of some of the best running rugby seen at the Avenue in recent times.

The hosts were on the score board within two minutes of the kick-off when a series of powerful drives through the forwards saw open-side flanker Harding crash over from short range for the first of his treble.

Forwards and backs combined well throughout the afternoon resulting in an 11-try haul for the home side.

A brace for the ever improving Craig Gelderd and a rampaging effort from prop forward Timothy Comben were the pick of the bunch but in reality the afternoon belonged to Harding.

Celebrating his 50th birthday last week, Harding announced his retirement before the game and then proceeded to produce an inspirational display of pace and power to lift the hosts. Always tireless in support the veteran maestro scored a hat-trick of tries and two drop goals before reluctantly leaving the field on the hour with a recurring facial injury.

Harding's efforts with the ball in hand created more space out wide for the Seasiders' ever improving back division to wreak havoc in the Blandford three-quarter line, with a further two tries coming from replacement full back Lian Berry.

A good day with the boot from James Borrington saw six successful conversions.

The afternoon's celebrations were tempered by the reality that Weymouth have lost an inspirational player in Harding.

Always leading from the front and never shirking responsibility, he will be a hard man to replace for next season's campaign.