The match away at East Cowes VA was postponed due to weather again.

The match away at Locks Heath was postponed.

With a torrential downpour just an hour before the game, the pitch at Colden Common was declared just about fit enough to play on just minutes before kick-off. The surface was, however, very wet and muddy and this eliminated any chance of flowing football and the game degenerated into a midfield battle for the ball.

Through illness, work and holiday commitments, Poole fielded a much different side to that which swept Colden Common aside 5-1 just two weeks ago. Richie Atherton, Danny Adams and Louic Rocher started in midfield with Simon Lynn partnering Richard Glenister up front. New signing from Wimborne Town Tony Avery, Neil Wardle and manager Pete Moore took their places on the subs bench.

Colden Common started the better of the two sides and seemed to cope with the pitch conditions far better than The Dolphins. A goal mouth scramble on 14 minutes looked likely to give the hosts the lead but last ditch tackling somehow kept the ball out of the Poole goal. With Poole unable to get the ball, the players started diving in with frustration and Common earnt freekick after freekick. One such opportunity on 24 minutes saw the ball crossed into the Poole box only for the Common player to head wide when well placed. As Colden Common continued to dominate the half Poole had Holland, Fletcher and Andy Gater all booked for mis-timed tackles. A good move on 35 minutes from Common saw the ball beautifully tucked away but it was the linesman who came to Poole's rescue on this occasion as he flagged for offside. In an effort to bring Poole into the game Jamie Holland was sent up front to partner Glenister and Simon Lynn reverted to his usual wing back role. As the half ended the Poole players trudged from the heavy pitch fortunate to be level. Half-Time: 0-0.

It was a better period for The Dolphins in the second half as they started to exert their own pressure and gradually the chances started to appear. Holland reverted to the right side and Danny Adams pushed up to take his turn alongside Glenister. On 48 minutes Simon Lynn produced a good run and fed the ball wide to Adams. His cross was met brilliantly by Fletcher whose volley flashed just over the bar. Common, however, always looked dangerous on the break and on 65 minutes Stockley did well to deflect a shot just wide of his right hand post. With Rocher and Atherton taking some control in midfield, Lynn and Jones were replaced by Avery and Wardle respectively. After Rocher also picked up a booking, manager Moore took to the field to become Glenister's 4th partner of the afternoon up front. On 87 minutes Chris Pratt hit a sweet left foot shot which was tipped round the post. From the resulting corner, Common broke quickly and a flowing move ended with a shot whistling just over the Poole bar. The action continued into the last minute when Holland produced a great run and cross on the right only to see Glenister's far post header fall the wrong side of the post.

All in all, a draw was probably a fair result and Poole can feel slightly fortunate not to have gone away with nothing. Common stuck to their task superbly and were totally unrecognisable from the side which surrendered so meekly just fourteen days earlier.

Poole: Stockley, Jones (Wardle), Pratt, Gater, Fletcher, Atherton, Holland, Adams, Lynn (Avery), Glenister, Rocher (Moore)

On a bitterly cold day, Poole Town travelled to Wiltshire to take on the the reigning Hampshire Premier League Champions  Amesbury Town in front of approximately 100 supporters. On arriving, Poole were faced with an extremely small, sloping and incredibly bumpy pitch, and given Amesbury's good recent run of results, knew they were in for a tough afternoon.

Martin Jones replaced Chris Smith in front of the back three and Simon Lynn returned as left wing back. New French signing Loic Rocher took his place on the substitutes bench.

As expected, Amesbury started brightly and soon had Poole under pressure.The first twenty minutes saw Amesbury flood the midfield and time and again their wingers were sent clear down the flanks to cause the Poole defence problems. The first real chance came on 15 minutes when a good Amesbury move through the middle resulted in a left foot shot narrowly missing keeper Terry Stockley's left hand post. On 23 minutes Amesbury deservedly took the lead - a corner was floated over to the far post to be met with a free header into the net. This seemed to sting Poole into action and gradually they came back into the game. On 28 minutes Simon Lynn forced a corner and the resulting cross saw a huge goal-mouth scramble as the ball pinged off several players. When the ball finally emerged Lynn sent over another left wing cross and Chris Pratt shot just wide of the post.  Within five minutes Poole should have been two down when an exquisite diagonal ball down the right wing saw the Amesbury number 7 clear and as the ball sat up he fluffed an easy chance to extend the hosts' lead. With The Dolphins chasing the equaliser the game turned into an intriguing battle - Poole with the majority of possession but Amesbury always looking dangerous on the counter-attack. On 36 minutes Jamie Holland produced his trademark run down the right and sent over a superb cross. Culliford met the cross with a thundering right foot volley but East in goal for Amesbury produced a brilliant point blank save. As the ball rebounded to safety Amesbury broke and within seconds Stockley, not to be outdone by his opposite number, produced a fine double save to keep Poole in the game. Half-Time: 1-0.

Poole emerged for the second half and immediately stepped up a gear in an effort to get back into the match. On 55 minutes Culliford won the ball on the edge of the Amesbury area, fed the ball through to Richard Glenister and his shot was well saved again. With the Poole midfield taking control and Gary Fletcher driving the team from the middle of the pitch it always seemed like a matter of time before the breakthrough came. Fletcher himself unleashed a terrific left foot shot from 25 yards only to see the ball clip the top of the bar but on 61 minutes Fletcher rose at the far post to head home a superb Culliford cross. With growing belief that all three points were there for the taking Poole pushed forward looking for the winner and it duly arrived just six minutes from time when another good move from Poole saw Culliford repeat Fletcher's goal - rising at the back post to head home from close range.

Though not the prettiest of games, this was a pulsating match with plenty of action at either end. Despite being outplayed in the first half, Poole Town took control during the second period and ground out a superb result against one of the better teams in the league.

Poole: Stockley, Wardle, Pratt, Gater, Jones, Fletcher, Culliford, Holland, Glenister, Flanz, Lynn (Rocher)
Unused subs: Adams, Atherton

Players Views

You can read Poole keeper Terry Stockley's comments on the game here.