Rob hits a hat-trick as Mussels cruise through

Rob O'Toole hit a hat-trick as Shoreham cruised into the second-round of this year's Sussex Senior Cup last night. Picture: Stephen Goodger

Mussels were rampant in the first half and led 5-0 at half-time. Rob O’Toole got the opener on nine minutes and George Gaskin made it 2-0 with his 18th goal of the season two minutes later.

O’Toole’s second made it 3-0 after 15 minutes, before Jack Hartley was on target and O’Toole completed his hat-trick before the break with his 17th goal of the campaign.

Thomas Familton scored Shoreham’s sixth on 70 minutes and Scott Packer made it 7-0 in the final minute.

Shoreham boss Bryan O’Toole said: “We got the game won early on and it was a very straightforward win.

“We worked on a few things in the second half and there were a lot of positives for us to take.”

Mussels had made a swift return to winning ways in the Southern Combination League Premier Division on Saturday.

After falling to a first league defeat, 1-0 at Horsham YMCA last Wednesday, efforts from Hartley, Gaskin and Rob O’Toole helped Shoreham to a 3-0 home success over Newhaven.

The victory means Mussels have now taken maximum points from nine of their ten league matches so far but boss Bryan O’Toole was less than impressed with his side’s second-half showing.

He said: “The message was to get back to winning ways and we managed to do that.

“I think on our first half showing we could have been five or six in front but their goalkeeper kept them in it.

“We were really poor in the second half, then we got the goals to settle us at the end.

“There was a spell in the second where they looked like getting one back and I wouldn’t have felt comfortable with us having to fight to go back ahead after carving out ten or 11 decent chances on the day.

“Most important for me was the victory and we got there in the end.”

Mussels were quick out of the blocks and ahead inside three minutes. Charlie Pitcher’s first-time ball over the top found Hartley and he slotted past Dockers goalkeeper Jake Buss.

Newhaven had Buss to thank for keeping the score at one until the interval with a string of fine stops. Dockers were much-improved in  the second half and  wasted a couple of decent chances before Mussels doubled their lead ten minutes from time.

Joe Keehan’s clever reverse pass found Hartley and he pulled the ball back for Gaskin to fire home.

Extra gloss was added to the scoreline three minutes from time. Substitute Jamie Cradock saw his corner crashed home first-time by Rob O’Toole to seal a 3-0 victory.

Next up, Mussels entertain Peacehaven in the league on Saturday.

SHOREHAM v Ringmer: Heyburn; Zydonik, Storrie, Packer, Familton, Tuck, Hartley, J.Keehan, Gaskin, R.O’Toole, Cradock. Subs: Scott (Hartley 50), Pitcher (O’Toole 60), Hand (Storrie 61).

v Newhaven: Heyburn; Zydonik, Pearson, Familton, Hand; Hartley, Keehan, Storrie, Pitcher; O’Toole; Gaskin. Subs: Cradock (Pitcher), Stevens (Zydonik), Bunker (Gaskin),Tuck, Measor.