Frome Town 0 Poole Town 0

Southern Premier League

26 December 2015

The league table doesn't lie and Poole were faced with a Frome team that lacked any sort of threat up front and whose sole ambition was to stop Poole scoring. The fact that Poole didn't score was solely down to incompetence in front of goal and lack of creativity. The conditions played a big part in a dreadful game but the reality was that Poole again should have been two or three up in the first 15 minutes, hitting the post and the bar and forcing two great saves from the Robins' keeper.

After that a familiar pattern emerged with Poole snuffing out most things coming at them in midfield and pressing forward only to see most efforts break up on the edge of the box. It wasn't really a day for pretty football and Burbidge and Dickson hardly got involved in the game so most threats were coming from set pieces. Frome found it relatively easy to defend the predictability and reached half time safely at 0 - 0.

We hoped for some festive cheer in the second half and you couldn't fault Poole for effort but they just didn't have the guile to beat the defenders. As the half wore on Frome gained confidence and mounted a few lightening attacks which got the crowd behind the goal excited but were dealt with well by the Poole defence. When Gillespie came on it was immediately obvious what was missing. He ran on to a ball over the top and won it against heavy pressure from a defender. Shooting early from the edge of the area he beat the keeper but saw the ball hit the far post and bounce away harmlessly.

This was a game best forgotten quickly for a number of reasons. I go to many away matches, some are good places to go and some not so good but I can honestly say that Frome is the place that I look forward to going to least. If you go to football matches you expect to hear supporters being passionate about their team, decisions etc. It is all part of the game. However the level of abuse that the home support gives away supporters is just unacceptable and unecessary. Probably as ever a few people but it does make it a very unpleasant experience and I wouldn't recommend anyone to go there.

Poole Town 3 Slough Town 3

Southern Premier League

19 December 2015

A languid performance by Poole saw them gift 3 goals to Slough and draw a high scoring game they should have won at a canter. At 2 - 0 it seemed a case of how many Poole could score but with the Rebels at their mercy and threatening nothing in attack, defenders failed to react to a quick break and the extra man at the far post easily slotted past Hutchings to make the score 2 - 1 at half time. Poole had earned their lead when Wort charged down the keeper and the ball fell to Dickson a fair way out who passed the ball into the net with considerable skill. Slough were all over the place at the back and Poole looked like scoring from every corner and Spetch did, heading in when unchallenged on the penalty spot.

More poor defending allowed Slough to equalise through Jepson in the 57th minute but Wort again proved strong in challenging the keeper and scored himself when the ball broke kindly for him. At 3 - 2 it was probably time to take stock and consolidate but Slough had been given a sniff and more terrible defending led to the equaliser with a couple of minutes to go with Hallahan again on hand to punish a weak defensive header. Slough came closest to winning the match but a dangerous low cross flashed across the Poole area without an attacker getting a touch.

I imagine that strong words were said in the dressing room after the match as this was just a case of complacency and lack of focus in complete contrast to some of the performances we have seen recently. Lewis Lindsay unfortunately again looked lost in midfield but the problem that the manager has is trying to fit 3 centre backs into 2 roles. A rethink seems necessary.

Star Player: I couldn't really pick anyone today although Jack Dickson played well in the first half and took the goal beautifully. Lee Wort also had a solid game.

Poole are still 12 points clear at the top albeit with more games played and this blip shouldn't make much of a difference at the end of the season especially with teams around them dropping points. Things are still looking good and so its onwards at home to Hitchin and away to Frome with a 6 points to prove.

Bedworth Utd 0 Poole Town 2

Southern Premier League

12 December 2015

Another very windy game with Poole playing with the benefit in the first half and working hard to be 1 up at half time. Roberts and Wort both had shots saved and Spetch took a pot shot from a long way out which sailed just over the bar. Bedworth failed to clear a corner and Brooks stabbed in a low cross to give Poole the lead at half time.

In the second half Poole rarely got out of their half because of the wind and their determination to hang on to the lead. Whilst Bedworth spent a lot of time in the Poole half and had a couple of shots, they never looked to have the bite to come back. When Poole scored the second with Wort getting his first goal for the club the game was over as a contest and nothing else really happened.

So not a thrilling game but all wins gain 3 points and this was a professional performance from Poole. On this showing you would fear that Bedworth don't have enough to  get out of the bottom four without an injection of players and a different attitude. The artificial pitch played better than Merthyr's earlier in the season and caused no real problems.

My star player today was Marvin Brooks. He got up from an early injury to get the vital first goal scoring for the second week in a row and was involved in most of Poole's attacking play.

Poole Town 0 Hungerford Town 0

Southern Premier League

8 December 2015

This was a hard fought encounter between 2 teams at the top of the table and in the end Poole did well to secure a point at Tatnam against a Hungerford side which outplayed them on the night. Poole retain their significant lead at the top of the table and Hungerford must have been disappointed not to make ground on the leaders.

From the off Hungerford played a tight pressing game and had an early chance headed over the bar whilst Poole played a predictable building game but still created a couple of half chances. As the half wore on Poole were made to look second best and Hungerford ended it well on top but with few chances to show for it thanks to some good defending.

The second half saw Hungerford grow in confidence and Hutchings was forced into a couple of superb saves to deny Hungerford the win. At the other end I can't remember the Hungerford keeper having to make a save.

So, the jury is still out on loanee Lee Wort. He looks a decent target man but is yet to link in properly with Burbidge Brooks and Roberts to create danger in the opponents box. Jack Dickson playing at left back had a good game in defence but with Roberts anonymous on the left wing Poole missed his guile going forward. Walker was brought on and Dickson pushed forward but it was too late to have any effect. I have to give credit to Hungerford though for putting in one of the best performances of the season against Poole.

However, even if you are at the top of the table you can't win every game and it isn't winning 7 - 0 at Histon that wins the league it is grinding out results like this against the better teams.

My star player: Nick Hutchings because of those two saves.

Poole Town 1 Leamington Town 0

Southern Premier League

5 December 2015

Nicknamed 'The Brakes' Leamington arrived with high hopes but left the field with 9 men, no points and possibly a new nickname. 'The Lemmings' seemed more appropriate as they proceeded to throw themselves off a metaphorical cliff in this match.

Poole were completely dominant in the first quarter with new man Lee Wort looking lively up front. He failed to beat the keeper in a one on one but it was no surprise when Brooks headed in after 20 minutes, his first goal since 10 October. With Poole looking likely to score more the game was ended as a contest when Edwards picked up a yellow for a wild lunge on Roberts and then stupidly kicked out at Devlin in front of the referee and had to take an early spa.Thereafter it became fairly routine for Poole but there wasn't much threat to the goal before half time.

Leamington upped their effort in the second half but it remained comfortable for Poole and a penalty was won as a defender charged down a shot with his hands. The sending off seemed harsh as he was so close to the ball when it was struck but the referee was in a perfect position to see what happened. Devlin missed the penalty - a showy save low to the keeper's left but in reality a nice height and speed to save if you guessed correctly. After that Wort played a nice one two but shot wide and Tallack found himself in the area but his shot was smothered. As the game neared the end everyone was conscious that only one goal up meant that Poole were vulnerable to an equaliser but with 9 men Leamington couldn't really put Poole under any pressure.

My star player today was Carl Pettifer. Although this was one of his easier games due to the lack of opposition in midfield, he controlled the whole game from the centre spraying good passes to either side and defensively made sure there were no slip ups.

Poole Town 1 Sherborne Town 2 (AET)

Dorset Senior Cup Quarter Final

1 December 2015

Poole 1(Salama)

Sherborne (2)Mann (2)