28 Sep 2008
VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: East Thurrock 3-0 VCD Athletic
East Thurrock striker Martin Tuohy scored his second successive FA Cup hat-trick on Saturday.

East Thurrock United

3-0

VCD Athletic

Touhy 13 pen, 40, 70

The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
Second Round Qualifying
Saturday 27 September 2008
Rookery Hill, East Thurrock United FC
Winning clubs will receive £4,500 from The FA



Hotshot Martin Tuohy helped East Thurrock United take another step along the road to Wembley with second successive FA Cup hat-trick in what was a comfortable 3-0 win over VCD Athletic at Rookery Hill on Saturday.

Tuohy had previously fired three goals in Thurrock's First Round Qualifying win against Hillingdon Borough and he was at it again on Saturday.

The visitors from Kent started brightly when full-back Kevin Witchcombe fired inches wide with only nine minutes gone, but it was Thurrock who opened the scoring from the penalty spot when Tuohy confidently dispatched after Kurt Smith had been brought down by goalkeeper Michael Holder.

The Isthmian League pacesetters doubled their advantage five minutes before the break when left-back Luke Hall's cross was headed back across goal by Ryan Sammons for Tuohy, who finished from close range.

All 157 of East Thurrock's vociferous support were chanting their team's name when, on 69 minutes, winger Smith left VCD full-back Kane Rice for dead before whipping a devilish cross into the box.

It reached Sammons whose shot at goal was turned home from close range by Tuohy, who clipped a shot over Holder despite offside claims from VCD, who were sent back to Kent wondering what might have been.

East Thurrock boss Mick Stephens was delighted with the quality of his side's performance after the game.

"We're on a bit of a roll at the moment and we've still only been beaten once in the League," he said.

"We play Thamesmead in The FA Trophy next week, which is another big game, so it was nice to see the players creating so many chances today.

"We're fighting on three fronts at the moment and it feels good. The money from a Cup run is handy, so things are looking very good for us."