FA Carlsberg Vase: Saltdean Utd 0, Abingdon United 5

A brilliant first-half hat-trick from Mark Simms gave Abingdon United a stunning first round success away to Sussex opponents Saltdean on Saturday.

What made Abingdon's victory even more remarkable, was that they had the worst possible preparation for this game just outside Brighton.

They were held up by heavy traffic and didn't arrive at Saltdean until after 3.15pm, having set-off at 10.30am.

The match eventually began 45 minutes late, but this disruption certainly didn't affect Simms, who was playing his first match since returning to Abingdon from Thame United last week.

After a scrappy opening, Simms opened the scoring in the 20th minute firing in a 20-yard shot. And minutes later he cracked home an angled shot, before he nodded in a cross to claim his hat-trick.

Matty Shelton got in on the act before half-time, coming in at the far post to finish off from supplier Riley's deep cross to give Abingdon a commanding 4-0 lead.

The home side suffered a blow after Chris Hooper received his marching orders. Abingdon were then reduced to nine men when they had two players sent off.

With ten minutes to go, Tom Smith was the quickest to react in a scramble to score and complete a good result for Abingdon at the end of a long day.