FA Vase 5th round:

Nuneaton Griff 0

Salisbury 3

Wilson (30, 85, 90+1)

HOT property Sam Wilson fired a hat-trick as an under-par Salisbury FC overcame a sticky tie to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Vase with victory over Nuneaton Griff.

The marksman eased Whites' fifth round nerves with a spot kick on the half-hour mark after Calum Brockway was tripped in the area.

The defender then gave away a penalty six minutes into the restart but Charlie Searle rescued his teammate with a fine save to deny Ashley Wilks from 12 yards.

The visitors were far from their best and had to ride out the final 20 minutes with ten-men after Brandon Mundy limped off with a hamstring injury when Steve Claridge had used all three substitutes.

Nuneaton pressed for a leveller but the visitors weathered the storm before Wilson grabbed a quickfire double to send his side screaming into the last eight.

Whites' financial reward for the fifth round win is £2,500 in prize money, and they are now two rounds - three wins - from Wembley, with the next stage taking place on Saturday, February 20.

The suspension of Taurean Roberts meant Claridge was forced to make one alteration for the trip to The Pingles Stadium.

The winger, who picked up a three-match ban for being red-carded in the previous round at AFC Dunstable, was swapped for Danny Young.

Jack Vallis preserved his spot for the also suspended Steve Walker as Whites set up in the shape of 4-3-3, with Wilson spearheading the attack.

The early stages of the cagey affair belonged to the Heartlanders, from step six, mustering two good chances in the opening quarter, both from set pieces in similar positions.

Firstly, Kieron Brehon latched onto a delivery and fired a snapshot which whistled past Searle's far post.

Then, Danny Harris' delivery found an unmarked Ben Ashby at the far post but an extra-alert Searle protected his post with a point-blank stop.

The Sydenhams Wessex Premier leaders took 25 minutes to adapt to the bobbling ground surface and windswept conditions in Warwickshire.

Young fortuitously got past his marker on the left hand side and delivered for a wide-open O'Keefe, whose shot was blocked before Brockway steered a glancing header wide.

The defender then darted his way into the area and was wiped out, leaving referee Anthony Da Costa little choice but to award the penalty.

A cool-headed Wilson stepped up to send George Woodward in the opposite direction by wedging his spot kick in the bottom right corner.

Moments later, Young should have doubled the Whites' lead with a cross-come-shot which was hooked off the line by Ryan Millerchip.

Before the half closed, Ashby found space, again in the area, and forced another block from Searle with a close-range header.

Whites, defending their one-goal advantage made a slow start to the second period, like the first, and got caught out on 51 minutes.

A clumsy challenge from Brockway on Josh Ruff handed Griff a golden opportunity to restore parity from the penalty spot.

But Searle redeemed the defender's mistake by out-smarting Wilks by predicting the right spot to push his effort to safety.

It was a huge let off for Salisbury, who were way off their usual high standards.

On the hour mark, Sam Roberts replaced Whelan in the centre of midfield to stem the tide, followed five minutes later by the arrival of Claudio Herbert and Ashley Jarvis for Eddie Perrett and Dan Demkiv as Claridge went 4-4-2.

But just after those changes, disaster struck as Mundy hobbled off the pitch clutching his hamstring and Whites were handed their toughest assignment yet; to see out the remaining 20 minutes with ten men.

Nuneaton fought for a equaliser and Danny Edmond went through on goal only to be stopped in his tracks by the excellent Searle. The 20-year-old was later on hand to smother a few deliveries as the Whites were holding out for the full-time whistle.

But in the dying embers Wilson made sure of the victory with two late goals.

He struck a second in the 85th minute after partner-in-crime Jarvis, when in a shooting position, altruistically slot in Wilson who rifled home.

Then six minutes later, a shot on the right from Herbert bounced into Wilson's path, and his shot, which took a hefty deflection to leave Woodward flat-footed, crashed into the net, with a cluster of Whites' fans joining in with the celebrations as their FA Vase adventure continues.

Salisbury (4-3-3): Searle, Colson, Brockway, Vallis, Perrett (Jarvis 65), Whelan (Roberts 61), O'Keefe, Mundy, Demkiv (Herbert 65), Young, Wilson.

Subs not used: Hart, Ball.

Scorer: Wilson (30, 85, 90+1).

Referee: Anthony Da Costa.

Att: 870.

Star man: Sam Wilson. The striker was the difference with three clinical finishes.