Returning striker Russell Preston scored a hat-trick as Barton Rovers put their league woes to one side by beating Molten Spartan SML Premier Division outfit Langford 4-1 at Sharpenhoe Road in the Beds Senior Cup first round on Tuesday night.

The comprehensive win will no doubt boost Rovers' morale after a run of seven straight defeats in Southern League Division One Midlands has seen them fall to third bottom in the table, with only goal difference keeping them out of the drop zone.

Top scorer Alex O'Brien set them on their way after just nine minutes before Preston, who recently re-joined from neighbours Dunstable Town, doubled the lead just before the half-hour mark. Langford put themselves back into contention with a Joe De-La-Salle penalty on 56 minutes but, within three minutes, Preston had restored Rovers' advantage with a close range shot. He then completed his treble on 62 minutes with a superb free-kick into the top corner which gave keeper Steve Young no chance.

A trip to Arlesey Town in the last eight now awaits Barton and, speaking after his side's first win in eight games, manager Gary Fitzgerald said: "Let's not get carried away, but the positives are that we were playing a team that are only a few places below us in the pyramid and we looked confident.

"The first goal settled us down and everything just seemed to click for us. It was nice to put an end to this losing mentality we seem to have adopted. I won't go as far as to say it's got to the monkey off the back, as I'd like to win a league game first."

Elsewhere in the competition, Dunstable Town also made it through to a last eight clash home clash with Leighton Town after their 5-3 extra-time win at Stotfold. The match was level at 3-3 at the end of normal time, with Town's first half goals coming from Krzysztof Matyszkiewicz and a Joe Reynolds penalty while Richard Harker equalised with 15 minutes to go. Darell Elliott and Stuart Sinclair then sealed Blues' victory in extra-time.

Reflecting on the result, boss Lee Cowley said: "We were the better side, passed the ball better than them, took all of our opportunities and, when the game went to extra-time, we just looked stronger and fitter."

The quater-final ties are scheduled to be played on Tuesday, January 27.

On Saturday, Dunstable host Malvern Town, while Barton are also back in league action as they make the trip to Bury Town. Both games kick-off at 3pm.