Molesey racked up their biggest ever FA Cup victory with a ruthlessly efficient 8-1 demolition of Sussex County League visitors Hailsham Town.

It was the Moles’ first FA Cup victory for four years and sets up a Preliminary Round trip to Ryman League Division One South Folkestone Invicta in two weeks’ time. The sides last met in the FA Cup twelve years ago when the Kent side won 3-1 at Walton Road.

The Moles will go into the game as firm underdogs but a repeat of this performance could see the them spring an upset.

The full backs marauded, the midfielders carried a genuine goal threat, the front three bristled with menace, and Craig Lewington knitted everything together with calm efficiency as the Moles recorded their third win in a week.

The only minor disappointment of a hugely satisfying afternoon for the Moles was the conceding of an extremely soft goal just before the hour when Drew Greenall was left unmarked from a deep free kick to place a header beyond Wester Young.

However, by that time the Moles were already four goals to the good, as Tom Windsor followed up his goal in midweek to give the Moles an early lead following hesitation from visiting keeper Sheldon Levitt, who was again caught napping to allow Matt Baxter to put the Moles two up.

Strikes either side of half-time completed Baxter’s hat-trick, although his hopes of obtaining a player of the round nomination were hampered when he hobbled off shortly afterwards.

The goals continued to flow, and centre halves Robb Sheridan and Moses Spencer made it six, Dale Marvell capitalised on an error by Lee Jules to slot in a seventh, and substitute Nick White rounded off the scoring to give Steve Webb his biggest home victory of his six year tenure.

Wester Young returned in goal and Dale Marvell replaced Hanif Boyle in the only changes to the side that just about saw off Alton Town in midweek despite dominating, and the game was only two minutes old when the Moles had the ball in the net following Ross Chalke’s header, but a linesman’s flag cut short his celebrations.

The Moles did not have to wait long to open the scoring. Windsor chased Lewington’s through ball, and although Levitt looked favourite, he failed to collect and the ball landed invitingly for Windsor to loop the ball home from 16 yards.

Baxter had two opportunities to extend the Moles’ lead but saw a one on one saved by the legs of Levitt, who then reacted sharply to turn away Baxter’s near post drive.

There was a suspicion of offside about the Moles’ second goal, as Levitt’s poor kick was headed straight back into the path of Baxter by Chalke, and with Levitt deciding to make a late charge out of his area Baxter was able to loop the ball over him and it nestled into the roof of the net for Baxter’s first goal for the Moles since netting a brace at Bookham in October 2009.

As well as the possible offside second goal the visitors will also point to what looked like a decent shout for a penalty when Kristian Webb bundled Greenall over in the box at a set piece, but the referee was unmoved by the raucous protests both on the pitch and the visitor’s dugout.

As aggrieved as they might have felt, Hailsham can blame no one but themselves for the defending that led to the killer third goal, as Luke Elliott kept possession after a corner had partially broken down and picked out Lewington, whose clever pass found Baxter unmarked by the edge of the box and he advanced on Levitt and slotted the ball past him.

Hailsham threatened at a couple of set pieces, and only a terrific point blank save from Young prevented Steve Dallaway pulling a goal back.

The Moles started the second half brightly and Baxter recorded the fifth hat-trick of his Molesey career when he held off the challenges of two defenders, cut inside on his left forward and rifled past Levitt from 20 yards.

Having already taken a knock in the first half Baxter hobbled off shortly after completing his treble to be replaced by Manny Quarshie, and within three minutes of Greenall’s consolation Sheridan extended Molesey’s lead when Lewington’s short free kick picked out Chan Quan, whose dangerous cross threaded the eye of the needle and found Sheridan at the far post to fire in from four yards.

Quan’s vision, touch and intelligent running caused the visitors problems all afternoon, and he nearly got the goal his performance deserved when a shot with the outside of his left foot hit the inside of the post and Spencer – who had only been on the pitch minute or so – scored with his first touch Rickie Lambert style from about 9 inches out.

Windsor came close to scoring a wonder goal when he set off with the ball deep inside his own half and galloped through the visitor’s defence but saw his effort deflect just past the near post, and from the resulting corner Marvell appeared to have headed his first goal for the club but his near post header was cleared off the line.

It was a brief stay of execution, as Quarshie sent Marvell clear after Jules had stumbled on the ball when in possession and the ex Epsom & Ewell man slotted the ball coolly beyond Levitt for number seven.

White curled an effort beyond Levitt from the edge of the box to complete the scoring, whilst only a block from Sheridan prevented Simon Stevens from adding a second Hailsham goal.

Molesey have league games at Westfield and at home to Wembley before making the trip to Folkestone, and having pocketed £1,500 in prize money for seeing off Hailsham, will be playing for an additional £1,925 in the next round.