Victory over a top side is always nice but when that side is Andover New Street the win is always that little bit sweeter. New Street looked anything but a top side though as The Dolphins completely outplayed them for the majority of the game only to try their hardest to throw it all away again at the end of the match. Potter and Gater returned to the side and Paul Manning took his place on the bench after being away for a few weeks.

The game, like so many recently, encapsulated the Poole Town season in ninety minutes. Hard working, at times brilliant, deadly finishing and then the pressing of the self destruct button followed by blind panic!

From the very start the Poole players were up for the game and the passing was instantly sharp and precise. The midfield quartet of Reeks, White, Lee Manning and Woolfenden completely bossed the game, breaking the New Street attacks down and setting up the counters for Poole. The first chance came on 22 minutes when a Reeks corner was met by Cornick but his header angled just over the bar. On 35 minutes Poole took the lead with a superb goal. Woolfenden produced some good skill in midfield to get away from two players and his exquisite ball split the defence to find Benssaouda who controlled with one touch and stroked the ball past the oncoming keeper. It was Benssaouda again on 42 minutes who beat his defender but this time volleyed over from 18 yards. Half time: 0-1.

With Town supporters wondering whether Poole could continue the standard in the second half, Poole immediately doubled their lead. The excellent Andy Gater whipped in a great cross from the right and with the defence turned Cornick stole in at the far post to head home. Things got even better soon after. Whilst a Woolfenden shot flashed past the post on 57 minutes Poole were three up a minute later. This time some Benssaouda trickery on the left resulted in a great cross and Cornick was there again to loop his header over the keeper for his seventh goal in four games.

Darren Reeks picked up a knock on 60 minutes and his departure seemed to initiate a few nerves in the team. Still, 70 minutes gone, three up and playing New Street off the park. What could possibly go wrong? The first sign came on 71 minutes when New Street created their first real chance of the day, a shot beating the keeper but cleared off the line by substitute Paul Manning. A good move on 74 minutes saw the Poole defence breached and a low shot across Potter saw the home side score. On 77 minutes Potter pulled off a very good save low to his left but he was helpless on 84 minutes when more sloppy defending saw a ball drop into the box and a free header over Potter pulled the score back to 3-2.

Having dropped so many points when leading by a couple of goals you could now see the panic in the Poole side and with their backs to the wall it was skipper James Wood who provided the heart at the back as he drove his players on to the win. The referee also tried his hardest to force a draw as every decision in the second half went the way of the home side. Lumps kicked out of Benssaouda - free kick to New Street. Lee Manning clears the ball, referee blows his whistle for a previous foul - Manning booked for kicking the ball away!! How so when the whistle hadn't been blown?? Injury time then dragged on through six minutes (how? why?) and Manning then picked up a second yellow card and he was off. Eventually the match ended and the Poole players were warmly applauded off the pitch.

No trip to New Street is complete without the usual hostility and it was good to see that the usual group of five or six lads (the total New Street support) were there to make the Poole support as unwelcome as possible. The usual insults and inane comments flowed from the idiots. Fine - we'll just take the points and leave. Job done.

Poole: Potter, Gater, Wood, Guetling, Woodward, Reeks (P. Manning), White, L. Manning, Woolfenden, Benssaouda, Cornick

The Dolphins continued their recent unbeaten league run with a comfortable victory over Hythe & Dibden. Hareld Todnem got his first full start and Lee Manning also returned to the side although in the defence rather than the usual midfield.

This was an entertaining game of football with both sides contributing to the overall entertainment. Despite no real chances in the opening half hour the passing and movement from both sides was good to watch. Much of the Hythe threat came down the left hand side where Poole seemed to struggle positionally and the hard working Matty White had to get back to cover on the right of defence on a number of occasions. Going forward though Poole looked bright and on 32 minutes they thought they had taken the lead but the referee deemed that the ball had not crossed the line.

Banssouada failed to score in a competitive match for the first time since 22nd April last year but the chances were still there for him - only his shooting boots were missing tonight. On 35 minutes he cut in from the right but his shot sailed high over the bar when well placed. Again, danger for Poole a minute later when a Hythe lob bounced just wide of the left hand post. Cornick, starting in midfield for this game, made a great tackle on 38 minutes and raced away down the right. His eventual cross was met by Benssaouda but his header flashed just over the bar. The breakthrough came on 42 minutes when some good build-up down the right saw Matty White receive the ball and his shot (cross?!) looped over the keeper into the far corner of the net. The action still was not over for the first half however. Spillane pulled off a fine point blank save to prevent the equaliser and the Hythe number 6 was then sent off for a second bookable foul. Half time: 1-0.

Poole have struggled this season when playing against ten men but this time they used the extra space to play some very good football in the second half and the goals always looked likely to come. On 50 minutes the excellent Woolfenden waltzed past several players but his shot was parried away for a corner. From the corner kick the ball dropped to Jackson and his 30 yard effort was superbly tipped onto the bar before Cornick nipped in to head home with the rebound. In recent weeks a two goal lead for the Dolphins has been quickly wiped out and Hythe set about their task when they scored within a minute of the restart. A good flowing move down the right saw a great cross clinically despatched in the corner with a first time shot.

Poole continued to pile on the pressure and Cornick missed a great opportunity on 59 minutes when he somehow blasted over from two yards after a cross from the right. A minute later and Cornick saw another shot saved and Benssaouda could only hit the post with the rebound. Marc Jackson had a good second half and his cross from the left on 69 minutes saw yet another Cornick shot well saved by the keeper. Five minutes later and Cornick eventually had his second of the night. A little pass from Benssaouda was well controlled before being drilled low past the keeper into the corner.

In the dying seconds good work between Benssaouda and White eventually saw the ball drop to Reeks and he completed another tremendous man-of-the-match performance by hammering the ball home off the underside of the bar.

Still with games in hand this pushed Poole back into the top six for the first time since early December. The next two league games are away at second placed Andover New Street and away at top of the table V.T. FC so staying in the top six will not be easy!

Poole: Spillane, Jackson, Guetling, Woodward, Reeks, White, L. Manning, Woolfenden (Muir), Benssaouda, Cornick Todnem (Wood)

The Dolphins took out their frustration at dropping recent points against Lymington Town and Amesbury Town by hammering the Premier League whipping boys AFC Aldermaston 8-0. Andy Gater dropped to the bench to miss his first league game of the season and James Wood also returned to replace Darren Mooney in defence.

With the pitch in very good condition Poole took to their task winning the game with much enthusiasm. The only surprising thing about the entire game was the amount of time it took for the first goal to arrive. In fact the opening quarter hour was fairly dull though predictable with Poole in control. The opening goal came on 18 minutes when White combined well with Benssaouda on the right. Benssaouda found himself clear on goal but unselfishly squared the ball to Woolfenden who ran on to stroke the ball past the keeper into the corner of the net. On 25 minutes the Aldermaston keeper made an error and with him stranded a defender also managed to miss kick a clearance and Cornick was on hand to tap home from a couple of yards. With the result settled it was now just a question of how many Poole would score.

On 34 minutes James Guetling, who had a very good game, steered a superb pass through the defence and Benssaouda ran on before thumping the ball over the keeper from 25 yards. Two minutes later and possibly the goal of the game. A great ball over the defence saw Darren Reeks thunder past defenders before unleashing an unstoppable 30 yard effort into the top right corner of the net - a terrific strike. This was Reeks' third goal in as many games and the goals aside he really has been excellent in recent matches.Three minutes later Poole got a freekick fully 30 yards out. With the defence still organising Hayfield took a quick kick and his superb shot curled over the keeper but cannoned back off the bar before being cleared.

The chances kept coming in the first half. On 40 minutes a Guetling cross from the right was headed just wide by Jackson and a minute later the referee was in sympathetic mood when he declined a penalty appeal after Reeks was blatantly pushed in the box. Half time: 4-0.

If Aldermaston thought Poole would take their foot off the pedal in the second half they were to be sorely disappointed as the Dolphins went on to inflict the biggest defeat on Aldermaston this season. Within two minutes of the restart shots were flying in from Woolfenden and Cornick before a rebound fell to Benssaouda and he rifled the ball through several players for his second. Another ten minutes and Benssaouda had completed his seventh hat-trick for the club. Norwegian Hareld Todnem, on for Woods, broke free and his pass picked out the Frenchman who drilled his shot inside the near post to make it 6-0.

On 61 minutes Benssaouda fired in another volley but this time Cornick was at the far post to direct his header past the keeper into the net. Benssaouda continued to torment the visiting defence and crosses from him on 76 and 77 minutes saw a Todnem shot deflected off the line and a Cornick header fly just over the bar respectively. Todnem was not to be denied however and with two minutes remaining the big striker raced through, held off the challenges of two defenders and then let rip with a terrific volley which rocketed into the top corner.  

Poole: Spillane, Jackson, Guetling, Wood (Todnem), Woodward, Reeks (Muir), White, Hayfield (L. Manning), Woolfenden, Benssaouda, Cornick

With Wood and Wright (broken ankle) missing from the defence the Dolphins welcomed back Darren Mooney and James Guetling to the back line. Hayfield and Woolfenden also replaced the missing midfielders of Lee Manning and Paul Manning.

When travelling to Amesbury you always know what to expect:-

1) The worst pitch in the Hampshire Premier League.
2) No decent football - see 1) above.

Add to this the most inept and downright disgraceful refereeing seen so far this season (yes, even worse than the Ringwood Floodlit Cup game from last September!) then the ingredients were all there for another explosive match!

The match started in bizarre fashion. Straight from the kick-off the ball made it's way back to the Amesbury keeper. Under pressure from Matty White the keeper somehow fumbled the ball and Leigh Cornick was on hand to tap the ball into an empty net. So, a good start - Poole one up and barely 15 seconds on the clock! Things got even better just five minutes later. A great move down the right saw Benssaouda feed White. His cross was perfect into the path of an unmarked Cornick but he completely missed the ball when a goal looked odds-on. A minute later again and Poole had their two goal cushion. Hayfield delivered a great flick over the defence and Benssaouda continued his unbelievable scoring run by cleverly lobbing the keeper and seeing his shot bounce just under the bar into the roof of the net.

Having surrendered a two goal lead just a week before obviously lessons had been learnt this time around? Nope - by the half hour mark is was all square at two goals apiece. On 23 minutes Gater was adjudged to have elbowed an Amesbury player in the penalty area. So if the referee had blown for an elbow then why was the Poole player not booked or even sent off? The resulting penalty was clinically despatched. Five minutes later and Amesbury were level. Darren Mooney was caught out at the back and an Amesbury shot was deflected past Spillane into the net. Half-time: 2-2.

Tempers had been simmering throughout the first half and things got out of hand at the restart. Reeks got into a scuffle with an Amesbury player and when the home player raised a hand to the face of Reeks there was no alternative but a red card for the Amesbury player. With the player advantage Poole now took better control of the game and a third goal always looked likely. On 64 minutes the impressive Woolfenden twisted and turned before seeing his shot deflected just over for a corner. From the corner Benssaouda produced great skill and his cross eluded the diving keeper only for the ball to hit Matty White and rebound into the grateful arms of the keeper.

On 75 minutes another goalmouth scramble saw the ball pop out to Reeks and he capped an excellent display for Poole by hammering home from a tight angle. Surely this time Poole would hold the lead? It finally looked like the points were heading to Poole until Mooney was once again pulled out of position in injury time and this enabled Amesbury to thump the ball in for a share of the points.

Yet again a disappointing way to lose the lead and Poole must have lost many points this season from goals conceded within the last five minutes. Whilst the midfield (Hayfield, Woolfenden, Reeks and White all played well), and attack are creating (and scoring) goals  it is the leaky defence which is proving to be the Dolphin's downfall at the moment.

Poole: Spillane, Gater, Guetling, Mooney, Woodward, Reeks, White, Hayfield, Woolfenden, Benssaouda, Cornick

Match Report courtesy of Matchday Programme.

There was a late start down to missing opposition bodies. Town started with nigh on the same side of late, missing was Paul Manning. In came Matthew Hayfield. Town started bright enough but disaster struck on 6 minutes when Ben Wright was helped off following a tackle. Ben went off to hospital and the news was that he had in fact broken his ankle.

Town then took the lead in the 8th minute, via a right sided Carl Woodward free kick. Matty White met the ball at the far post and his header nestled in the opposition net, 1-0. That was as good as it got scoreline wise.

In the 29th minute Horndean were awarded a penalty, for Neil Potter holding down a player, although the majority saw it as a foul prior on the keeper, the referee also said there was a pull on a Horndean player, but could not pinpoint the culprit. Baker stepped up to make it 1-1.

39 mins and Neil Potter got himself booked for picking up the ball. Just after in the same minute it was 1-2. A ball across the face of the Town goal eluded all, Stephen Warwick took it on and around the keeper to score. Half time 1-2.

The 2nd period saw Town push on in search of an equaliser and a hoped for winner, chances were forthcoming but to no avail. Then the probably inevitable then happened, they were caught out at the back. 78 minutes and Stephen Warwick got his 2nd, 1-3. Then on 84 minutes all was up as it went to 1-4, skipper Steve Tee clipping his header over all from the front post area, via a left side ball in.

Town finally got something for all the effort, Leigh Cornick blasted the ball off a post, the ball flew out to Karim Benssaouda and he cracked it in for 2-4. All came too late on 94 minutes.

Poole: Potter, Gater (Muir), Woodward, Wood, Wright (Jackson), Hayfield, L. Manning, Reeks (Woolfenden), Cornick, Benssaouda, White

Manager Paul Morrell was able to field the same starting eleven as the previous two games - something Poole supporters have not seen for a couple of years! With both Ryan Woolfenden and Matthew Hayfield now fit they took their places on the bench.

With Lymington already having beaten Poole this season and their deserved position in the top six this was always going to be a close tight affair. The first half proved to be a fairly dour 45 minutes with few chances for either side in blustery conditions. The first chance fell to Poole after 25 minutes when Benssaouda received a flick on from Cornick. The Frenchman cut in from wide on the left and bent his shot wide of the far post.

Towards the end of the half things livened up a bit. Paul Manning found Cornick who beat his man with ease. His right footed cross was dropped by the keeper but Benssaouda couldn't quite nip in finish it off. A minute later and Benssaouda produced more trickery to beat a defender but his 25 yard shot was well saved by the Lymington keeper. On 44 minutes a Woodward freekick from the right found Lee Manning at the far post but again the keeper came to the rescue tipping the ball away for a corner. Half-time: 0-0.

Both teams seemed to up their game in the second half but it was Poole who created the better chances. Not taking them though would prove costly by the end of the game. On 47 minutes Cornick crossed from the left but Paul Manning scuffed his shot when well placed. Matthew Hayfield came on for a disappointing Matty White on 58 minutes and soon the Dolphins were in front. On 67 minutes Carl Woodward delivered an exquisite cross from the left and Benssaouda nipped in at the far post to volley the ball home. There was an obvious increase in confidence at this point and when Jackson replaced Reeks the second goal soon followed. With just 15 minutes left Jackson flicked the ball superbly over the Lymington defence. Benssaouda timed his run to perfection, sprinted away and his 50th goal for the club in just 41 games never looked in doubt as he stroked the ball under the keeper into the net.

With 10 minutes remaining Benssaouda should have claimed his hat-trick. Cornick flicked the ball on and Benssaouda volleyed over from 20 yards when he could have gone on to score from closer range. Surely with minutes remaining and two up it wouldn't matter. Wrong! With five minutes left a long range effort cannoned back off the Poole bar and as Spillane was diving the ball hit him on the back and went in.
Back came Poole and within a minute the two goal lead should have been restored - Ricky Muir (on for Cornick) headed straight at the keeper after a cross from Benssaouda.

In fairness to Lymington they never gave up on the game and there was almost a sense of inevitability when they equalised with two minutes left. A well worked passing move down the field eventually saw a cross from the right and when the otherwise solid Poole defence failed to clear the ball a Lymington player was on hand to drill the ball home. Despite the Lymington centre back being sent off on 90 minutes it was Poole who held on in the dying minutes and a draw was probably a fair result.

With both teams cancelling themselves out for huge parts of the game it was still extremely disappointing to not win after being two goals up with just five minutes remaining. Eyes now turn to Wednesday night when Poole take on Horndean at Tatnam for a place in the Trophyman Cup semi finals.

Poole: Spillane, Gater, Wood, Wright, Reeks (Jackson), P. Manning, Woodward, White (Hayfield), Benssaouda, Cornick (Muir), L. Manning

An open meeting was held at Poole Labour Club on the evening of 2nd February. Discussions centred on the plans to get a reserve team up and running for the 2004/05 season. A good turnout culminated in a positive meeting and some good ideas were put forward.
The next meeting will again be at Poole Labour Club on 23rd February - 8.00pm. All supporters welcome.