HAT-TRICK hero Gary Bowker guided Ossie Villa to victory as they maintained their fine early season form.

Bowker broke the deadlock when he applied the finishing touch to a flowing move, drilled home a spectacular second from range then completed his treble from the spot.

But Bowker had to share top billing with Nathan Cross who ran the Villa midfield engine room.

Cross took the game by the scruff of the neck just when it looked like White Bull’s neat passing game might pay dividends.

And that was typified midway through the first half when Cross chased back and tackled Wes Leliuga — White Bull’s best player on the day – pinged a wonderful racking pass to Luke Hargreaves whose low ball in to the area was flicked him by Bowker.

Up until then, White Bull were looking good with Leliuga causing problems running from deep.

His brother Matt seemed to be getting the better of the midfield battle while Ryan Grant curled a free kick inches wide.

But once Cross got his foot on the ball he began to dictate the game.

Time again he had the vision to pick out passes which unfortunately none of his team-mates could capitalise on.

But Villa’s cause was helped in the second half when Simon Rogers entered the fray. The big Scot added a bit of steely composure to midfield – that said, White Bull had chances to draw level.

Toby Hodgkiss forced a fine one-handed save out of Steve Witherspoon who had been virtually unemployed in the first half.

The same player then fired over after good work from Steven Ashworth and Leliuga.

And a hat-trick of near misses was complete for Hodgkiss when he fired wide after a shot from his brother Matt fell kindly to him on the edge of the area.

And White Bull paid the price for not taking their chances when Hargreaves used his strength to hold off the otherwise faultless Steve Dudgeon and poke the ball under Paul Wright in the White Bull goal.

But there was little anyone could do about Bowker’s second when he turned and fired the ball in to the top corner from 25 yards.

And his hat-trick was complete when he converted from the spot after Dominic Walsh tripped fellow sub Shaun Smith in the area.

White Bull nearly pulled one back when Steven Ashworth rattled the Villa bar late.