BOWERS & Pitsea booked their place in the first round of the Isthmian League Cup after claiming a resounding win over Waltham Abbey.

Rob Small’s side were 5-0 winners as Bowers played their first home fixture at Parkside, the home of Aveley, while work continues on the Len Salmon Stadium’s new artificial surface.

Bowers raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening 14 minutes as Charlee Hughes and Max Cornhill got their names on the scoresheet.

Fahad Nyanja’s curling effort struck the crossbar on the half hour mark as the hosts’ first half dominance continued.

But the final three goals came in the last 18 minutes of the cup tie.

David Knight’s corner was headed home by captain Martyn Stokes and Knight found the back of the net himself four minutes later.

Jamie Dicks’ deflected free-kick came back off the post but Bowers were to grab a fifth goal as Ben Sartain swept home following a Nyanja cutback.

But Canvey Island are out of the competition as the Gulls suffered a 1-0 defeat to Enfield Town.

Assistant manager Brad Wellmen, who continued to lead Canvey due to boss Danny Heale’s stadium ban, took the opportunity to make several changes to his starting XI, handing first starts of the season to Conor Gough, George Allen, Josh Hutchinson and Sam Collins.

Meanwhile, the Enfield squad included three former Canvey players, with captain Ryan Blackman in midfield, while Dean Mason and Mario Noto were named on the bench.

George Sykes, George Allen and Marlon Agyakwa were denied by Enfield goalkeeper Joe Wright and the visitors grabbed the only goal of the game eight minutes before the break.

Mason Tunbridge curled a free-kick into the bottom corner of the net after Frankie Merrifield committed a foul on the edge of the penalty area.

Sykes struck the outside of the post on the stroke of half-time.

Canvey had a couple of chances to take the encounter to penalties, but it was not to be.