Poole's best chance and one of few they created all night came as early as the fifth minute. A superb Funnell freekick was met by Cornick at the back post but his shot managed to be miscued back across the face of the goal and away to safety. It was clear from early on that Moneyfields would cause the Poole defence some problems and they took the lead on 21 minutes. Wood was caught for pace down the right and the striker thumped the ball past Spillane into the far corner of the net.

Poole hit back immediately when Funnell neatly flicked the ball on to Stuart Brown but the tall striker's lob dropped just over the bar. On 33 minutes Wood sent Woodward away down the left and his fantastic cross was met by Brown who didn't quite connect with his header. On 41 minutes a clash between the already booked Gary Funnell and a Moneyfields player saw both players sent off, Funnell with his second yellow card and a straight red for the other player. Poole were let off on the stroke of half time when a Moneyfields player managed to scoop the ball over from two yards after a mistake by Spillane in the Poole goal. Half time: 0-1.

The second half performance got no better as three substitutes were brought on and Hayfield and Spalding both got added to the book. With Poole pushing forward Moneyfields simply exploited the huge gaps left all over the field and but for some woeful finishing they really could have scored five or six on the night. On 61 minutes they carved through the Poole defence and after squaring the ball to a free player the ball was dragged wide with an open goal beckoning.

On 79 minutes the referee ignored a blatant penalty appeal from Moneyfields after Richardson had practically assaulted the player in the Poole area but a minute later the visitors wrapped the game up. Despite Spillane saving the initial shot there was no defence to speak of and it was left to a Moneyfields player to simply head the ball into an empty net.

Simply not good enough anywhere across the pitch.

Poole: Spillane, Wood, Spalding, Woodward, Reeks (Chivers), Richardson, White (Cherrett), Funnell, Hayfield, Cornick (Harris), Brown

The opening half of this match was dreadful from Poole. They carried on from their performance at Alresford in midweek and Horndean were quickly in control of the game. As early as seven minutes the visitors were in front. Clean through the defence the striker placed his shot wide of Spillane and the ball found the back of the net off the inside of the post.

Things got worse for Poole just ten minutes later when good work down the right saw a cross to the back post and an easy tap in to put Horndean two goals up. At this stage it only looked likely that the visitors would add to their tally. The Poole defence looked all at sea and Killick immediately made changes taking Gary Bartlett off and bringing Darren Reeks on to put some steel into the midfield. Lee Manning limped off shortly afterwards and Ryan Woolfenden took his place in midfield, Still Horndean created chances however and Poole were lucky to reach the break just two goals down. Half-time: 0-2.

In all honesty the first 20 minutes of the second half was no better. There was certainly no lack of effort by the Poole players but there just seemed to be no shape or structure to the side. For a team playing five across the midfield there was an alarming lack of width to utilise Tatnam. Eventually Stuart Brown spotted the acres of space on the left and he kept dropping wide to the left to pick up the ball.

Poole were given a glimmer of hope on 73 minutes when after some concerted pressure the ball dropped to Funnell around the penalty spot and his left foot shot found the bottom corner with the keeper rooted to the spot. Suddenly Poole came to life and two minutes later a great cross from Rahman on the right found Brown and he rose to head the ball home and draw Poole level.

The last ten minutes saw both sides going for the winner but a draw was probably a fair result, and given the first 70 minutes, Poole supporters were somewhat relieved to get anything from the game.

Poole: Spillane, Wood (Chivers), Spalding, Bartlett (Reeks), Richardson, White, Funnell, L. Manning (Woolfenden), Rahman, Cornick, Brown

From the start it looked like Poole would comfortably take the three points as the Alresford defence looked jittery and unable to cope with the runs from Poole players down the flanks. On 12 minutes Hayfield (again just about the only bright player for Poole) won the ball well in midfield and his pass sent Cornick away down the left. As the striker cut in his left foot shot was dragged wide of the post. Three minutes later the ball came off a Poole player and clearly rolled out for a throw some 2 or 3 yards from the corner flag. The referee awarded a corner(!!) and despite protests from Poole players and supporters the linesman refused to flag for what was clearly a mistake. As so often happens in this situation the corner came over, got a flick on at the near post and was knocked in at the far post to put the visitors into the lead.

For the next 15 minutes or so Poole began to get the ball down and play the football we all know they are capable of. The passing was slick and there was good movement from the strikers. On 28 minutes Poole got their deserved equaliser when a Funnell freekick from 30 yards sailed over everyone and dropped under the bar at the far post. Now back on level terms the supporters fully expected Poole to go on and win the game. It never happened and the rest of the match saw Poole descend into some poor passing and complete failure to hold onto the ball.

On 34 minutes Alresford created a good chance when the left back delivered a great diagonal ball out to the right. The striker cut inside the defender but his shot went wide of the post. Three minutes later and the home side was back in front. A good move down the right saw the ball squared and with the defence awol it was a good finish which left Spillane with no chance. Half time: 2-1.

With little invention in the second half it was back to the big ball straight down the middle from Poole. There was no width and the ball either was easily headed away or ran through to the Alresford keeper. In fairness to the Poole defence there was little movement ahead of them and their options were pretty limited. On 67 minutes Taffy Richardson delivered a great ball across the face of the home goal but amazingly it was missed by players from both sides and ran harmlessly away.

With 18 minutes left young Carl Chivers replaced Ollie Cherrett as Poole looked to grab an equaliser. It was Chivers who nearly got the goal going close on two occasions. Firstly he had a shot which went just wide and on the other occasion he nipped in and hammered a rebound which the keeper saved superbly with his outstretched foot.

Poole: Spillane, Wood, Cherrett (Chivers), Spalding, Richardson, Hayfield, White, Woodward, Funnell, Cornick, Rahman

Shaftesbury started the game very well and they took the game to Poole in the opening quarter of an hour. Gradually, though the Poole midfield began to get into gear and for the rest of the first half it was Poole who was in control and they began to create some good chances. The half finished goalless with Poole probably the happier as they went off at the break. Half-time: 0-0.

Poole continued the good form at the start of the second half but on 50 minutes it was Shaftesbury who got the only goal of the game - a quality move and goal it was too. Despite making three changes as the half wore on Poole were unable to breach the home goal and on 75 minutes Funnell hit the bar with a great shot.

With the usual strange league results again (Poole, Lymington, Amesbury all losing) Poole still find themselves in second place and with the unveiling at last of a new striker this coming week, supporters hope that the final piece of the jigsaw will be in place from which they can sustain a championship assault.

Poole: Spillane, Welsh (Wood), Cherrett, Spalding, Harris, Richardson, White, Woodward, Funnell, Cornick (Warrington), Woolfenden (Rahman)

The signs looked good early on as a Funnell thunderbolt from outside the box in the first minute was superbly tipped over for a corner. The match then settled into a major battle with both sides playing some neat attractive football for long spells. On 14 minutes Liss should have taken the lead when a cross from the right was met by an unopposed header but the ball fell into the arms of keeper Spillane.

Leigh Cornick got clear on 23 minutes but dragged his shot wide with only the keeper to beat and on 32 minutes Ryan Woolfenden broke through but his shot beat the keeper only to come back off the far post. Half-time: 0-0.

The start of the second half continued in the same vein as neither side could grab a goal. Eventually on 66 minutes Poole got the breakthrough. A cross from the excellent Matty White on the right saw Cornick challenge the keeper. As the ball dropped loose the striker stabbed the ball home whilst Liss players (and Poole supporters too!) awaited the inevitable blow from the referee's whistle to indicate a foul on the keeper. No such decision and the goal stood.

Five minutes later and the game should have been wrapped up. A glorious ball from Gary Funnell sent Richardson clear from the half way line. It also looked like the midfielder had too much time and as he raced in on goal his final shot was weak, dragging wide of the left hand post. Having battled so hard for over an hour to gain the lead it looked like Poole had thrown it all away on 77 minutes. A simple back pass to Spillane saw the keeper make a major mistake with his first touch and a Liss player was presented with the ball for an easy tap in to tie the scores up.

With just over ten minutes left Poole now dug in and at last the passes started finding their intended recipients with a much better speed and accuracy. On 79 minutes Richardson headed a Cherrett cross from the right just over the bar but two minutes later the best move of the match saw Poole back in front. Some great slick passing saw Funnell send Cornick away down the right with a reverse pass. His first time cross was met by Hayfield who had sprinted into the box to rise and head the ball home past the keeper. Relief all round!

Poole really went for it now as they sought to kill the game off. On 85 minutes substitute Jay Rose knocked the ball out to Matty White and this time he produced the cross of the match to the far post where Richardson was on hand to score his first of the season. The confidence was now oozing out of the players as they pinged the ball all around the Liss box looking for another opening. Funnell unleashed another shot which hit the side netting. Deep into injury time it was a mistake by a Liss defender as whilst trying to usher the ball out for a goal kick he allowed Cornick to nip in and hammer the ball home to make it 4-1.

Poole: Spillane, Welsh, Cherrett, Spalding, Harris (Woodward), Richardson, White, Hayfield (Wood), Funnell, Cornick, Woolfenden (Rose)

In blustery conditions it was Romsey who looked the brighter in the early stages of the game but it was Poole who tok the lead on just fourteen minutes. A great ball from Rahman saw Matty White nip in to dink the ball over the keeper from close range - his first of the season.

On 31 minutes an extremely ugly foul on Rahman saw the Romsey offender ordered off with a straight red card yet despite the man advantage Poole still struggled to put some decent football together. Half-time: 0-1.

Again the second half was not a pretty sight as both sides found it difficult to string a number of passes together. On 65 minutes Ali Harris replaced Carl Woodward - the first time Carl has not been on the pitch for Poole since his debut way back on 8th March 2002!

As Romsey continued to press, looking for the equaliser it was a classy, sublime goal from Matty Hayfield on 85 minutes which secured the three points for Poole.

Poole: Spillane, Welsh, Cherrett, Spalding, Rahman, Woodward (Harris), Richardson, White, Hayfield, L. Manning (Wood), Turner (Rose)

After taking the lead early on Poole conceded two goals to be 2-1 down after 20 minutes. The team rallied to lead at half-time 3-2 but faced a blistering rocket from Tom Killick who was furious with the first half performance.

The Dolphins then turned in an excellent second half performance to add three more goals to the total and thus move up to second in the league.

Leigh Cornick scored a hat-trick and Lee Manning, Gary Funnell and Carl Woodward also found the net.