STRAIGHT-TALKING Steve Claridge admitted Salisbury FC were "unconvincing" in their 3-0 win at Nuneaton Griff in the fifth round of the FA Vase.

Sam Wilson booked the tournament's second-highest ranked side a quarter-final spot with a hat-trick at The Pingles Stadium.

He broke the deadlock in the 30th minute with a spot kick before two late goals put smiles on the faces of 400-plus supporters, who made the 300-mile round trip.

"Into the quarter-finals, in a nutshell, and we're pleased to be there," Whites' boss told JournalSport.

"We' haven't had a lot of luck this year but we had a little bit on Saturday, I know that.

As much as a 1-0 last week was a misleading scoreline, I think this was as well.

Credit to them [Nuneaton], they really had a good go and, for 10 to 15 minutes, it looked like we didn't really fancy it.

"We rode our luck at times. The way we played was very reactive and not proactive."

Calum Brockway, who won the visitors a penalty in the first half, conceded a spot kick six minutes after the restart which gave the hosts a chance from 12 yards to level it up.

But a fine save from Charlie Searle denied Ashley Wilks as Whites protected their 1-0 lead, a decisive moment in the game, according to Claridge.

He added: "The boy's [Josh Ruff] been allowed to run 40 yards, gone past four of our players and that probably sums our afternoon up in a nutshell.

If that goes in, who knows might what have happened.

"We've got there in the end, albeit it was probably the most unconvincing performance for months and months that I can remember.

It's strange, bit of a hollow feeling I suppose."

Claridge's charges were also tested in the final 20 minutes when Brandon Mundy pulled his hamstring and limped off the pitch.

Five minutes before the midfielder went down, Claridge had used all three substitutes but said he made this decision after Mundy reassured him he was okay to carry on.

"I spoke to Brandon five minutes before that and I asked him are you okay? And he said 'yes'. Then he comes off and says oh, I wasn't sure. I said no you didn't, you said you were fine so I made the three substitutions.

They are young lads and sometimes lack a bit of professionalism.

It was one of those days but I thought we dug in the end and probably played the best football of the match towards the last 20 minutes."

And the Salisbury chief also questioned his players' preparation, which saw them make a slow start in Warwickshire.

"Sam's one of seven or eight who will feel he didn't play particularly well," he said.

That was the case of too many players who looked as if they were still in bed in the hotel.

Sometimes, I wonder about people's professionalism and preparation because it took us an hour to get going. That is simply not good enough.

Some of them don't understand what's required and how to prepare for games."