TONY Stokes hit a hat-trick for Canvey Island as they waltzed past Great Wakering Rovers in the Ryman League Cup.

The Gulls won 6-1 and it took just five minutes for Canvey to open their account, with Joey May rounding the goalkeeper to slot home following a fine though ball from Stokes.

The same two combined for the second, and this time it was Stokes that finished, tapping home after May’s strike was parried.

It was 3-0 inside 20 minutes, as Stokes finished smartly on the edge of the penalty area but Rovers weren’t giving up.

Jacob Cleaver tapped home to make it 3-1 after goalkeeper Conor Gough had denied Jay Nash but the Gulls finished the half the stronger.

Omarr Lawson’s header made it 4-1 but the second-half was a closer contest.

Kojo Owotwi added a fifth with 18 minutes remaining, with a neat strike from the edge of the area.

Stokes hit the post from range as he searched for his hat-trick and it came with three minutes remaining as he slotted home a rebound.

Billericay Town are also into the next round after seeing off Heybridge Swifts 3-0.

First-half goals from Quentin Monville and Kreshnic Krasniqi put Town in charge before Goldy Capela continued his fine start to his Billericay career with his third goal in two games.

Bowers & Pitsea were 3-0 winners against Witham Town.

Bowers could have fallen behind early on but they saw a strike chalked off for offside, while a golden chance to go ahead followed.

James Thomas was fouled but Harley Kee’s penalty was missed, but they got another bite of the cherry later in the half.

Luke Wilson powered home from the spot although the Bowers life was living a charmed life, with the woodwork struck twice.

Ben Sartain then cracked the woodwork before the second goal did come, with Thomas’ deflected strike finding the net.

Bowers made sure of the result with an emphatic strike from Shomari Barnwell on the stroke of full-time.