Pope piles on the agony for Maidenhead (From Bournemouth Echo)

Pope piles on the agony for Maidenhead

7:40pm Tuesday 23rd February 2010 in

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TALENTED teenager Michael Pope was moved to Bournemouth’s wing and responded by grabbing a hat-trick of tries as they slaughtered Maidenhead 71-0 at home.

The 19-year-old utility man can have a major impact from any of the three-quarter positions for Lions.

And he starred as the high-riding Chapel Gate outfit showed no mercy to National Three South West’s whipping boys by also slotting over five conversions.

Pope ended up with a personal 25-point haul as Bournemouth racked up their highest score since they crushed Minety 106-5 away when they swept to the Southern Counties South title in 2005.

Rory Hearson (two), James Payne (two), Chris Hughes, Eddie Edwards, Puks Ngapaku and Alan Manning also touched down against Maidenhead, while Ngapaku added three more conversions.

Lions coach David Dunn said: “It was a clinical performance and we’re hitting a purple patch.

“I was particularly pleased match sponsors Palmer Snell choose Michael as man-of-the-match.

“We’re trying to develop him as a player, develop his all-round game by playing him in various positions.

“We sent him out to the wing and he relished the space in front of him, although it was far from a one-man show.

“It was a great team performance.”

Bournemouth: K Lynch, Hearson, Payne, Edwards, Pope (Dunkerley 54), Ngapaku, Chislett, Burns (Wareham 59), Wilford, Manning, Brooks, Seward, Ford, Crombie (R Lynch 59), Hughes.

<•>Wimborne dug deep to overcome an injury crisis and blow the Southern Counties South title race wide open with a stunning 27-12 triumph at leaders Frome.

On a day when Richie Brokenshire, in the pre-match warm-up to the clash, Steve King and Jamie Hawking all sustained injuries, All Blacks kept cool to blitz into a 27-0 lead.

Phil Andrews (two), Leigh Coulling and Jim Brokenshire all touched down, while Andy Hopkins added two conversions and Jay van Wyk one dropped goal.

Wimborne: Unwin, R Brokenshire, Tinsdale, Hopkins, Hawkings, Coulling, Champ, Morgan, Llewellyn, King (Vazquez), van Wyk, Griffith, J Brokenshire, Andrews, Maltman. Sub: Busby.

<•>North Dorset ended their poor run with a 29-7 home triumph over Bradford-on-Avon with tries from Matt Williamson, James Dimmack, Jay Westcar, San Tite and Adam Trevis.

<•>Ellingham and Ringwood lost 14-0 at Old Wimbledonians in London South West Three.