Carshalton spring upset by beating Conference side Lincoln City.
Carshalton Athletic 3-1 Lincoln City
The FA Carlsberg Trophy
Second Round Proper Replay
7.45pm, Wednesday 18 January 2012
War Memorial Sports Ground, Carshalton Athletic FC
Click here for results
Paul Vines netted a hat-trick as Carshalton Athletic defied a two-division gap to stun Conference Premier club Lincoln City in an FA Trophy Second Round replay.
Vines' three goals came in a superb 18 minute spell either side of half-time to hand his side an unassailable 3-0 lead, with Jake Sheridan's late strike a mere consolation for the visitors at a raucous War Memorial Sports Ground.
The Red Imps arrived in Surrey on the back of just two wins in their previous nine matches as they continue to struggle to acclimatise to non-League football following their relegation from League Two on the last day of the 2010-11 campaign.
Carshalton, who lie 14th in the Isthmian League Premier Division, sensed that, even after a goalless draw in the original tie on Saturday, they had an excellent opportunity to claim a famous scalp, and Luke Pigden was only denied by a last-gasp Joe Anyon save when he delivered a tenth-minute free-kick. Alan Power, by far Lincoln's most impressive player on the night, curled narrowly over at the other end, but a hungry display from the Robins was to be rewarded four minutes after Anyon dived at full-stretch to save Luke Nolan's driven shot.
The match had reached its 38th minute when Jean-Francois Christophe clumsily brought down David Ray in the area and Vines emphatically slammed the spot-kick into the net.
Three minutes later the marksman was celebrating again after a slightly fortunate second. Justyn Roberts' deep free-kick should have been comfortably claimed by Anyon, but instead Vines beat the goalkeeper to the ball and guided his header home from 16 yards.
The former Kingstonian front-man completed his hat-trick with a composed finish in the 56th minute. Ricardo Joseph's clearance curled wickedly, but Vines allowed the ball to run across his body before steering it expertly into the bottom right-hand corner.
As they pressed and restricted any sight of goal for their opponents, a routine second period almost saw Carshalton add a fourth as Laurent Hamici was brilliantly kept out by Anyon. Instead, Sheridan stabbed in after the Robins failed to clear a set-piece in the final moments to ruin Nick Hamann's clean sheet.
By then, though, it was too little, too late.
Carshalton Athletic: Nick Hamann, David Ray, Ricardo Joseph, Craig Tanner (Tom Davis 73), Kieran Murphy, Justyn Roberts, Luke Nolan, Reece Jones, Paul Vines, Laurent Hamici, Luke Pigden.
Substitutes not used: Luke Badialli, Anthony Joseph, Michael Kamara, Sonny Ayres.
Lincoln City: Joe Anyon, Karlton Watson, John Nutter, Alan Power, Conal Platt (Reece Thompson 58), Sam Smith, Simon Russell (Jake Sheridan 46), Paul Robson, Jean-Francois Christophe (Josh Gowling 73), Matthew Pearson, Tyrone Thompson.
Substitutes not used: Adam Smith, Nicky Nicolau.
Referee: Tim Robinson.
Assistant Referee: Lloyd Wood & Stuart Franklin.
Fourth Official: Peter Georgiou.
