SALISBURY are through to the last eight of the FA Vase thanks to a victory made in Southampton.

West End-based striker Sam Wilson hit a hat-trick as Steve Claridge’s Whites marched into the quarter-finals with a 3-0 win at Nuneaton Griff.

In a tale of two penalties, 21-year-old Wilson showed how it should be done from 12 yards, sending the keeper the wrong way on the half-hour after Calum Brockway had been fouled.

Nuneaton had a dream chance to equalise early in the second half when Brockway ended Josh Ruff’s mazy run, but Ashley Wilks had his spot kick well saved by Salisbury stopper Charlie Searle diving to his left.

Things didn’t look too promising for the Whites in the last 20 minutes when, having used all three subs, they lost Brandon Mundy to injury and had to see out the game with ten men.

Searle made another good stop to deny Keiron Brehon on 82 minutes but, with just five minutes of normal time remaining, it was the Sydenhams flagbearers who seized the lead when Ashley Jarvis teed up Wilson for a firm, low finish.

The former Eastleigh and Winchester City striker completed his hat-trick in time added on, capitalising on Claudio Herbert’s surging run for his 28th goal of the season.

It was Salisbury’s tenth consecutive win in all competitions as they seek to become the fourth Wessex team to lift lower non-League’s premier knockout trophy, following on from Wimborne (1992), Winchester City (2007) and Sholing (2014).

Though pleased with the result, Salisbury boss Claridge was less convinced by the performance.

“The pitch was very difficult to play on, the wind and conditions weren’t great and we didn’t deal with it,” he said.

“The last 20 minutes were the best for us, but the other 70 were poor by our standards.

“That’s as poor as we’ve played for months.”