No match report available at this time. Report to come from next match programme.
Scorers: Holland, Benssaouda

An amazing climax at Amesbury saw Poole Town nab the three points and gain revenge for the home defeat earlier in the season. With Darren Elmes and Jamie Holland again on Dorset County duty Jez Ainsworth returned to midfield and Matty Homer partnered Karim Benssaouda up front.

The first half hour of the match was dreadful and a 0-0 looked the most likely outcome. Poole played badly, unable to string two passes together and making basic errors all over the park. Amesbury, to their credit worked hard and closed the Poole players down at every opportunity. On 31 minutes Ross Elliot went to throw the ball out to a defender but the ball slipped from his hands, dropped a couple of yards away and an Amesbury striker was on hand to tap into an empty net - a disastrous mistake. Just before half time Amesbury produced another shot from the right which beat the keeper but came back off the bar before being cleared away. Half-time: 1-0.

If the quality of the Dolphin's football was not much better in the second half then at least the effort did not diminish. Homer dropped back into midfield and Gary Fletcher moved up alongside Benssaouda. To me this was the key in the second half as Fletcher proved a capable target man and time and again he flicked the ball on nicely to Benssaouda and Poole began to camp in the Amesbury half. On 51 minutes Benssaouda turned and fired a great 25 yard shot which skimmed the top of the bar but as time ebbed away Poole could not create any clear cut chances. It looked all up for Poole on 84 minutes when an Amesbury corner was met with a free header and the home side went two up.

With some supporters already drifting towards the pavilion a corner on 87 minutes saw a firm header from Ainsworth tipped over. From the resulting corner Ben Wright ghosted in at the far post to head home his first goal for the club. With the referee indicating 7 minutes of injury time Poole pressed forward looking for the equaliser. On 95 minutes Ainsworth delivered a great ball to Benssaouda and the Frenchman turned, twisted, beat the defender and guided the ball into the top left corner to complete another memorable goal from him this season. If the Poole supporters were now cheering they went absolutely mad a minute later when a freekick was met by skipper Neal Spalding and the ball buried itself in the corner of the net to seal the three points.

This was not a good performance from Poole but it was a great lesson in determination and never giving up on a lost cause. This was typified by Fletcher whose drive and encouragement was again the highlight of the match.

Poole: Elliot, Woodward, Spalding, Wright, Kemp, Ainsworth, Fletcher, M. Morris, Roberts (Crowe), Benssaouda, Homer

After the midweek win at Pirelli General Poole Town travelled to Micheldever for the long awaited Trophyman Cup Quarter Final match. Poole were able to field a strong side for the tie and expectations were high that the Dolphins would progress into the semi finals where a clash with bitter rivals Andover New Street awaited.

Although not wanting to moan about the officials (again!) there are times when it is impossible to report on a game without them being the centre of attention. Unfortunately a thoroughly good match was completely ruined by the referee John Davies who produced one of the most inept displays of refereeing you are ever likely to see. In a match played in terrific spirit by both sides there was only one bookable foul in the game yet Mr Davies managed to produce 3 red cards reducing Poole to ten men, Micheldever to nine and more importantly reducing the game to an absolute farce.

Poole controlled much of the first half but the Division 1 side defended resolutely and the Dolphins could not find the killer punch in the last third of the field. On 6 minutes Benssaouda broke clear and his shot was tipped round the post by the home keeper (sorry, not tipped round post as referee awarded a goal kick). Three minutes later Neal Spalding ventured forward and his pass found Benssaouda who beat the defender but shot wide of the left hand post. A further minute later and Fletcher sent Holland clear on the right but as the keeper advanced Holland's lob dropped wide of the mark. A corner on 25 minutes saw a point blank header from Benssaouda blocked on the line.

It took until near half time for the home side to fashion a chance and keeper Ross Elliot needed to be alert to save low to his right, pushing the ball away for a corner. The resulting corner saw a great header deflect off the underside of the bar and Carl Woodward nipped in to clear the ball from danger.

At this point the referee took over. A foul in the middle of the park by a Micheldever player saw Poole earn a freekick. As the home player turned and retreated to his own goal a quick free kick hit the player on the back. Result? A yellow card for the Micheldever player. This despite both sets of players agreeing it was accidental. This would proved crucial later on when a second yellow card would see the player off on 66 minutes. Neal Spalding then got booked for something that Gary Fletcher said and again the referee refused to listen to everyone telling him he had got the wrong player. A minute later and Holland was fouled wide on the right of the pitch. Result? Straight red card for the Micheldever No. 5 as the referee deemed it to be a goal scoring opportunity! This was plainly absurd and was met with fury by both Micheldever and Poole benches who just couldn't believe what was going on. Half time: 0-0.

The match was ruined from this point. Micheldever had fought gallantly in the first half and yet despite not doing anything wrong they started the second half a man down. On 52 minutes the numbers were levelled up when Benssaouda was given a straight red card for dissent. Whilst this is not the first time it has happened this season and Karim must learn to control his temper, it was, again, a totally over the top reaction by the referee against a word which was uttered by every other player at least a dozen times every Saturday afternoon.

Poole finally broke the deadlock on 60 minutes when a Woodward corner was knocked down and Darren Elmes spun to hook the ball into the corner. Five minutes later and Micheldever again hit the bar when a great header from a cross cannoned back off the woodwork with the keeper beaten. Following the second Micheldever sending off a minute later the result was never really in doubt and when Holland was brought down in the box on 68 minutes, Darren Reeks stepped up to score from the spot - his second in as many games.

With the commitment of the Micheldever players and the great hospitality shown to Poole supporters by the home club it was unfortunate that the Micheldever bench (manager?) decided to spend the last ten minutes hurling uncalled for abuse at a number of Poole players. When man-of-the-match Darren Elmes' cross from the right on 90 minutes was fumbled by the keeper to concede a soft third goal his abuse extended to unsavoury comments about his own goalkeeper and that was totally unjustified.

There is no doubt that the scoreline flattered Poole and credit must go to the Micheldever players who gave the game everything they could. Special mention too to their match programme which was superb and put to shame nearly every other Hampshire League club. 

Poole: Elliot, Woodward, Spalding, Kemp, Fletcher, Reeks (G. Morris), Drew (M. Morris), Roberts, Elmes, Benssaouda, Holland

No match report available at this time. Report to come from next match programme.
Scorers: Benssaouda, Holland, Reeks

Poole Town's Trophyman Cup Quarter Final match away at Micheldever this Saturday has been rescheduled to Saturday 22nd March. This is due to Poole being unable to raise a side - Elmes & Holland (county call up), Spalding, Wright, Atherton, Wardle, Fletcher, Mooney all unavailable. There is therefore no game this Saturday 15th March.

The match away at AFC Aldermaston originally scheduled for 22nd March has been put back to April 16th.

On a cold and blustery day at Tatnam Poole Town lined up against an in-form Horndean side who have the games in hand to overhaul the Dolphins by the end of the season. Gary Fletcher and Ross Drew made welcome returns for Poole and Chris Moulder played out of position at right wing back.

The conditions were always going to make this game a difficult one for good football and indeed there was some poor spells of play throughout the game. However, with Horndean defending well and looking for the draw it always looked like the chances would fall to Poole.

As early as the third minute Holland was sent clear of the defence but a superb last ditch tackle from the defender prevented the striker from releasing the trigger when just 5 yards out. On 6 minutes Benssaouda nodded a ball on and again Holland raced clear - this time his shot dragged wide of the left hand post.
Jamie Holland in action against Horndean

On 25 minutes Graham Kemp delivered a great ball from the back and yet again Holland found himself one on one with the keeper. For the first time in the afternoon Holland's shot was on target but the keeper brilliantly palmed the ball away for a corner. A minute later and Drew passed to Holland down the left. This time Holland cut inside the defender and his shot / cross managed to elude everyone and harmlessly roll out for a throw. At this stage it never looked like being Holland's day and a superb volley from him again on 36 minutes was aiming for the top corner before the keeper again got across superbly to tip the ball over the bar. Half-time: 0-0.

Poole continued to press in the second half but their frustration at not scoring soon became apparent and a little of the fight left their game as the match progressed. On 56 minutes a Carl Woodward corner was met by a firm header from Drew but the ball went straight at the keeper. On 69 minutes and panic in the Poole defence saw the ball scrambled off the line a couple of times when it looked like the visitors would take a shock lead. Holland continued to get in the right positions and a minute later another super shot was saved point blank by the keeper and Woodward's follow up effort whistled past the post. On 76 minutes Benssaouda hassled the ball off of a defender and his shot was also tipped over the bar.

The match ended on a very sad note when a collision between Holland and the visiting keeper resulted in a sickening crack audible around the ground. Within seconds an ambulance was called and the game was held up for nearly half an hour as both physios and paramedics tended to an almost certain very badly broken leg. After the outstanding saves that he had pulled off all afternoon it was a dreadful way to see his game end and he was eventually stretchered from the field to a generous round of applause. Everyone at Poole Town wishes him a very speedy recovery and we look forward to seeing him back with Horndean in the future.

Poole: Elliot, Woodward, Spalding, Kemp, Wright, Moulder, Drew, Fletcher (Reeks), M. Morris (Roberts), Holland, Benssaouda

Poole Town's match away at Bishops Waltham Town was postponed due to the waterlogged pitch.