Poole Town have gone top of the southern premier league by two points after a nervy and hard fought 2-1 victory over bottom club Paulton Rovers at Tatnam on Tuesday night.
The Dolphins were big favourites for the game but Rovers certainly gave as good as they got, and in truth could count themselves rather unlucky not to get anything out of the game.
Naturally Poole started on the front foot but struggled to create clear cut chances.
Steve Devlin tried his luck from range but the goalkeeper Ben John was equal to it, whilst Michael Walker could only head straight at John from a corner, and Marvin Brooks had a shot which the keeper spilled, but fortunately for him a defender was on hand to clear any danger.
They forced their best chance of the first half when Will Spetch played a perfect through ball to Luke Roberts. He rounded the keeper but his touch was too heavy, and he couldn’t hit the target from a tight angle.
Poole were creating half chances but they certainly weren’t at their best – giving away possession far too easily at times and just generally looking a bit below par.
They continued to huff and puff at the start of the second half.
Burbridge forced a good diving save from Ben John before eventually, just passed the hour mark, the breakthrough finally arrived when Burbridge set off on a run down the wing, and his cross was left by Connell for Luke Roberts who planted it into the corner to give Poole the lead and ease the nerves.
Poole goalkeeper Nick Hutchings had been a mere spectator for the first 65 minutes, but just four minutes after seeing his side take the lead he was picking the ball out of the back of his net – as the visitors stunned the Dolphins with an equaliser out of nothing.
Morgan Williams picked the ball up some 25 yards out and unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top corner of the net to pull the basement boys level.
Poole continued to probe but Paulton’s defence stood firm. It was beginning to look like being one of those nights for Poole but then twelve minutes from time, they got their lucky break when Luke Burbridge was bundled over in the box and the referee pointed to the spot.
Paulton protested strongly, and in the ensuing melee Cameron Brown was sent off for taking his protests too far.
With Steve Devlin having been subbed off, the experienced Alan Connell stepped up and calmly slotted home to put the hosts within touching distance of top spot.
With time running out, Poole had a couple of chances to kill the game off, but 2-1 was the way it stayed, and it was enough to see them go top of the table on 27 points – two points clear of Weymouth, Chippenham Town and Leamington.
It certainly wasn’t a vintage performance from Poole, but they continue to grind out the results and that’s what matters.
The win also moves them five points clear of Dorchester Town, who suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat at struggling Slough Town.
Matt Oldring had arrived at the ground late, but after twenty minutes he replaced a less than impressed Tony Rolls, and it might have had an effect as just three minutes later Harris fired a shot at Murphy which the keeper failed to gather, and the ball trickled over the lien to give Slough a 23rd minute lead.
It got worse for Dorchester just three minutes later when Putman fired a free kick into the top corner to double the lead.
The Magpies pushed to get back into it at the start of the second half but a defensive slip on the hour mark allowed Charlie Strutton in to make it 3-0 and kill off any lingering hopes of a revival.
Bradley Tarbuck got a late consolation for the Magpies ten minutes from time but it was cancelled out by Charlie Mpi’s late strike, and it ended up 4-1 to Slough.
A very disappointing night for the Magpies, and they’ll probably be glad of a break this weekend with the number of injuries they have.
Weymouth return to action this weekend, and they make the long trip to the Midlands to take on play-off chasing Redditch United. United have lost their last four games but they’ll be looking for a response against a Weymouth side who are just beginning to build some momentum. It promises to be a cracking game up at the Valley.
Elsewhere Poole Town are back in FA Cup action, and they’ll be looking to move to within one round of the first round proper when they travel to Hastings United of the Isthmian league Divison One.
Hastings are a level below Poole and they’ve made an indifferent start to their season – currently sitting 15th with two wins and three defeats in their five home games so far.
Poole will go there as favourites but its the FA Cup, and anything can happen!
James Spring
