Poole Town took on bogey side Lymington Town on Bank Holiday Monday and slipped to a third consecutive defeat - something which hasn't happened since September 2000. New signings Ian Richardson and Steve Strong came into the starting line-up for Cherrett (out with knee ligament damage - we wish him well) and the injured Darren Crook (back). Darren Reeks also started with Matty White on the bench.

Having done the double over Poole last season and having already got a creditable 0-0 draw at Moneyfields this season (with ten men) no-one was in any doubt as to how tough a match this would be.

Glenister had Poole's first chance of the night on 2 minutes when he was sent clear down the right. Perhaps he could have fired in a shot but instead he pulled the ball back and tried to cross it but it all came to nothing. The next thirty minutes saw a fairly scrappy midfield battle with neither side creating any decent chance on goal. The superb (and Poole tormentor for several seasons now!) Kevin James looked quick and skilful as usual and he was causing the Poole defence problems.

On 30 minutes the visitors took the lead. A break down the left saw a cross into the box and John Bailey came in to fire home a fairly easy goal. Five minutes later and Hounsell produced a great cross but Phillips's header was well saved by the keeper. A corner then saw Taffy Richardson get up well but his header went wide of the post. Half time: 0-1.

Little changed in the second half as Poole struggled to get the ball down and play their passing game. Woolfenden came on for a hobbling Darren Reeks (Woolfenden's 50th appearance for Poole) and Matty White came on for Strong. On 75 minutes Lymington doubled their lead. A poor clearance was steered back into the path of the Lymington striker and he took one touch before drilling the ball past Spillane.

Within two minutes Poole had pulled a goal back. A freekick dropped in the box and in a clutch of players, Leigh Phillips stuck out a foot and stabbed the ball home. In truth though Poole really didn't look like getting an equaliser. The final chance came in injury time when a Woolfenden cross was met by Phillips but his header bounced just wide of the right hand post. 

Poole: Spillane, Whitley, Reeks (Woolfenden), I. Richardson, S. Richardson, Spalding, Strong (White), Funnell, Hounsell, Glenister (Chivers), Phillips

The first much anticipated local derby in Wessex 1 turned out to be a huge anti-climax for Poole supporters as the Dolphins turned in one of their worst performances in a long time. As expected Taffy Richardson dropped into the back three with Neal Spalding going out to the left flank as wing back. Darren Crook returned behind an unchanged strike partnership of Glenister and Phillips.
With ex Town boss Pete Moore in charge of Poppies there was obviously added spice to the game. The Poppies team also saw a few familiar faces from Poole's past - Karim Benssaouda, James Bailey-Pearce, Adie Briscoe on the pitch and James Wood and Gary Fletcher in the wings too!

The opening twenty minutes saw Poppies practically camped in the Poole half as they enjoyed nearly total possession. Whilst they could create no clear cut chances it was worrying that Poole could just not get the ball down and play football. But whilst some things proved surprising it was clear that some things never change. On 20 minutes Benssaouda's temper (not helped by the fact that he had hardly got a touch in the game) boiled over and he lashed out at Ollie Cherrett. Whilst Pete Moore may have been incensed by the decision (see Andy Starmore's report here). he simply cannot defend Karim for his actions. If you raise your hand then you are going to be sent off and Pete shouldn't be any more surprised than we were when Karim performed for Poole.
So the ex Poole striker was off and finally Poole supporters believed the extra man would now count and Poole would take control. And that couldn't have been further from the truth!

In a scrappy first half it was still Poppies who showed all the initiative and their closing down of the Poole team was admirable. On 43 minutes a cross from the right into the Poole box saw Funnell attempt a clearance but his kick sliced badly off his left foot and looped over Spillane into the top corner. This seemed to spur the Poole team into action and they grabbed a much needed equaliser just two minutes later on the stroke of half time.
A freekick on the left dropped to Leigh Phillips and he managed to hook the ball over his head into the far corner from a tight angle. Half time: 1-1.

The second half was a nightmare. On 49 minutes Poppies broke away and only a last ditch deflection (Whitley?) prevented a further goal - the ball going for a corner. The resulting corner was met by a great Dibba header and with the keeper beaten, Danny Hounsell handballed on the line to prevent the goal. The referee had no choice but to send him off and award a penalty which was converted by Joyce.

Things went from bad to worse on 56 minutes when Poppies went 3-1 ahead. A super ball over the top saw a one-on-one with Spillane. The keeper came racing out of his area and did well to head the ball away from the striker.
However, once the ball had dropped Spillane was still the nearest player and instead of thumping the ball anywhere he backtracked towards goal. Now in no-man's land it allowed Poppies to regain possession and within two passes the ball was gleefully fired home by Bailey-Pearce.

From the kick-off Poole did put together a decent attack, some neat passing down the right saw a cross which Glenister got on the end of but his header went just wide of the post. On 67 minutes Ollie Cherrett went down in the Poole area and had to receive lengthy treatment. After being stretchered off the pitch it was a pity to see a couple of Poppies players smiling and laughing about it when they realised it was Cherrett who had gone.
Wholesale changes saw Goodbody, Chivers and Bayston come on for Spalding, Crook and Cherrett but it made no difference to the game. Poole were simply outplayed on the night

Special mention must go to Lamin Dibba. He produced one of the best defensive displays you could ever wish to see. Absolutely nothing got past the Poppies defender from the start to the final whistle - he was awesome and also proved more than a handful from set pieces. Well played Poppies - a deserved victory.

Poole: Spillane, Whitley, Cherrett (Bayston), Richardson, Spalding (Goodbody), Funnell, White, Crook (Chivers), Hounsell, Glenister, Phillips

Leigh Phillips made his first start of the season as he replaced the injured Darren Crook and Ryan Woolfenden also came into the side now that Joe Collins is out with a broken leg. As Tommy Killick had already said during the week, this was going to be a much tougher game than either VT or Portland Utd, and indeed it was. This was, perhaps, Poole's official welcome to life in Wessex 1.

The visitors made their intentions clear from the start as they attacked quickly and looked very dangerous. Their first goal came on just six minutes and left the Poole side somewhat stunned. A cross from the right was well controlled on the edge of the box and the Cowes striker turned, made some space before letting fly with a right footed shot. Spillane managed to get a strong hand to the ball but somehow the Poole sneaked inside the right hand post and the visitors were in front. Two minutes later and they should have doubled their lead. A very quick break saw a ball come in from the right and a Cowes player allowed the ball to come across the front of him before hitting a shot with the outside of his foot which left Spillane well beaten but the ball drifted just wide of the post.

On 13 minutes Cowes broke clear again and Spillane this time made a very good save with his legs when faced with a one v one situation. Poole were really struggling to contain the Cowes attacks and on 27 minutes a cross from the right saw the defence completely AWOL and the Cowes player missed a great opportunity to add to the lead when he headed wide with a free header.

From the half hour mark Poole began to get their passing together and slowly they edged back into the match. On 31 minutes Funnell was allowed to run at the defence and as they backed off he let fly from 25 yards and his shot flashed past the right hand post. On the stroke of half time Poole should have been level. A corner was knocked in deep and Richardson controlled the ball and fired a shot in hard on goal. The keeper managed to get a hand to it but as it dropped, Glenister was on hand but his volley flew over the bar from just a couple of yards out. A costly miss. Half time: 0-1.

Cowes again started the half brightly and nearly doubled their lead on 49 minutes. A quick break again saw them clear but as the shot was prodded under Spillane the keeper just managed to get a trailing leg to it and the ball deflected for a corner.

On 52 minutes Peter Goodbody made his first appearance of the season as he replaced the disappointing Ryan Woolfenden. A few minutes later and both Darren Reeks and Ryan Toms came on for Ollie Cherrett and Matty White.
Poole were still well in the game at this point as they were enjoying by far more possession than the visitors. However, the Cowes defence looked very well organised. On 76 minutes Poole had an appeal for handball in the Cowes box turned down by the referee and a minute later Glenister was clearly brought down as he raced into the box, but again the referee waved away the appeals.

Cowes sealed Poole's first home league defeat since 13th November 2004 (and biggest home league defeat since 25tht October 2003) with a second goal on 80 minutes. A cross from the left saw Spillane call for the ball, but unable to get there, he was left in no-man's land and the Cowes player easily headed the ball over him into an empty net.

Poole continued to look for a way back and from the restart Funnell put Glenister through and as the keeper came out the Poole striker knocked the ball over him only to see it bounce just wide. With Poole pushing forward more gaps opened up in the home defence and on 90 minutes Cowes again broke down the left and a simple ball squared across the goalmouth was easily tapped in to make it 3-0.

Four minutes into injury time and Poole supporters thought they had something to cheer. The ref finally awarded a penalty to the Dolphins but Funnell summed up the day when his penalty kick hit the outside of the post and went wide.

Some good performances from Poole - Spalding again was superb at the back and Luke Whitley is looking a very good player. Glenister also looks very sharp and hungary for goals so some good positives to come from this defeat.

Poole Spillane, Spalding, Cherrett (Toms), Whitley, Woolfenden (Goodbody), Hounsell,  White (Reeks), Funnell, Richardson, Glenister, Phillips

No full match report available.

Tommy Killick fielded the same starting eleven as the previous Saturday as Poole looked to consolidate their opening to the season.

On 7 minutes Matty White crossed from the right and side, the ball was controlled by Taffy Richardson who then thumped the ball home to give Poole the lead. This lead was doubled on 26 minutes when Crook and Glenister combined well before a superb Glenister strike saw the ball find the top left corner of the net from the edge of the box.

A trademark Funnell freekick on 40 minutes ensured Poole had a comfortable 3-0 lead at the break. Just prior to the half time whistle Matty White spotted the keeper off his line and his audacious shot from the half way line left the keeper for dead but cannoned off the top of the crossbar. Half-time: 0-3.

The entire game was overshadowed by the injury to Joe Collins on 48 minutes. A broken tibia and fibia saw the game held up for nearly 50 minutes as they waited for an ambulance to show up and escort him to Dorchester Hospital. This is a massive blow to the both the Club and Joe and we can only wish him well and hope to see him back in a Poole Town shirt as soon as is possible.

Understandably the players really did not want to carry on the game and on 62 minutes Portland pulled a goal back. The three goal lead was restored however just three minutes later when a fantastic lob on the run from Funnell 30 yards out nestled into the back of the net.

Funnell completed his memorable hat-trick with a fantastic solo run on 85 minutes, ending with the midfielder clipping the ball home from a tight angle.

Poole Spillane, Spalding, Collins (Woolfenden), Hounsell (Bayston), Cherrett, Whitley, White, Funnell, Richardson, Glenister, Crook (Toms)

Poole Town kicked off their first season in Wessex Division 1 with a home game against old rivals V.T.FC. VT have proved to be a bogey side for Poole in recent years with no wins in their previous 6 games. Therefore supporters knew that this would be a tough opening game against an always strong and well organised side. Despite approaches from several other clubs Gary Funnell has pledged his future to the Dolphins for the coming season and his value was underlined with yet another sparkling performance and two more goals from the midfielder.

Unusually the season opener was played in heavy rain for much of the match and it wasn't helped when VT only turned up at 3.05pm - delaying kick-off until 3.30pm. Poole got off to a flyer however when Funnell struck on four minutes. From 30 yards out the ball dropped invitingly and he unleashed a superb shot which arrowed directly into the top right corner of the net. A better strike you are unlikely to see all season!

Poole continued to control the game in an excellent first half performance. On 18 minutes a VT player handled the ball on the edge of the area. Poole quickly took the freekick and after 3 passes Funnell was put through but his shot whistled just wide of the left hand post. Ten minutes later and after a good passing move Poole were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when Danny Hounsell was bundled off the ball when about to shoot.

On 33 minutes Matty White picked up the ball in the centre circle and his exquisite pass picked out Darren Crook. The striker took the ball on but his shot curled wide and away from the left hand post. Three minutes later and Crook made amends with a superb finish. The excellent Ollie Cherrett played him in behind the defence and as the keeper rushed out, Crook deftly lobbed the ball over him from 20 yards and the ball bounced into an empty net.

This seemed to wake VT up and within two minutes they had fashioned their first chance of the game. As the ball broke on the left side of the box a shot was well saved by Spillane who got down low to block the drive. Half-time: 2-0.

V.T. looked a much better side in the second half as they looked to take the game to Poole. Within three minutes of the restart they had pulled the score back to 2-1 with a well taken goal. Suddenly Poole looked a bit vulnerable and VT pushed for an equaliser. On 52 minutes they broke clear again and it was a race between striker and Spillane. The striker just got there first and prodded the ball past the home keeper. With the ball on the way to the goal Luke Whitley raced back and managed to get a toe to the ball to deflect it onto a post and away from danger - good defending.

On 58 minutes Poole were penalised for an apparent backpass (no-one except the ref thought it was). The freekick inside the Poole areas was well charged down and the danger averted. As the second half wore on so Poole regained control of the game and the remaining chances all fell to the home side.

On 64 minutes Glenister, who looked sharp and keen all game, produced some magic on the edge of the box. He bustled past two players, nicked the ball out from under his feet and beautifully curled his shot around the keeper only to see it come back off the inside of the right hand post and cleared away.

On 67 minutes Funnell hit another 30 yard screamer and the keeper did well to tip the ball away for a corner. Five minutes later and Ollie Cherrett came steaming through from defence and his left foot volley from 25 yards beat the keeper all ends up but cannoned back off the bar to safety.

Ryan Toms replaced Crook on 81 minutes and it was Toms who had a hand in the final goal. Four minutes into injury time he raced away down the left. His cross was not dealt with by a couple of defenders and as the ball dropped, Funnell was on hand to thump the ball home from close range.

A very good performance from Poole to start their league campaign and three very important points in the bag in a year when every point will have to be fought for.

Poole: Spillane, Spalding, Collins, Hounsell, Cherrett, Whitley, White, Funnell, Richardson, Glenister (Bayston), Crook (Toms)

Poole Town Football Supporters Club have now taken on the merchandising for the Football Club and hope to grow the range over the coming months. Currently Baseball Caps, beaney hats, mugs and car stickers are all available. A new page has been set up for merchandising and can be found on the left hand side of the screen or you can click here.