Dion Charles scored a hat-trick as Accrington beat Bristol Rovers 6-1 in a game delayed for 30 minutes due to snow.

There were five goals in the opening 28 minutes as the game got off to a breathtaking start.

Joe Pritchard put Stanley ahead in the eighth minute, getting on the end of Colby Bishop’s cross.

In the 11th minute, Rovers equalised through Sam Nicholson who capitalised on a defensive error and raced through before finishing well.

A minute later Charles received the ball on the edge of the area, made space and fired Stanley back ahead.

Charles got the third in the 17th minute when he got on the end of Nathan Baxter’s goal kick and drilled home.

Bishop headed home from Sean McConville’s corner to make it 4-1 in the 28th minute.

It was 5-1 four minutes after the break when Bishop scored his second of the match, pouncing after a Charles strike could only be pushed out by visiting goalkeeper Joe Day.

Charles celebrated a first league hat-trick in the 70th minute, flicking home a Paul Smyth ball from close range.

Rovers have now lost six of their last seven league games.