With some teams taking part in the qualifying stages of the FA Vase this was a chance for Poole to take advantage of a reduced league programme to get back to the top of the table before their own FA Cup exploits next weekend - wherever that may be!

Manager Killick rang some changes for this game with Aaron Skelton getting his first full start of the season and Ross Lloyd partnering Lamin Dibba at the back with Luke Whitley and Taffy Richardson starting on the bench.

This turned into a typical home performance that supporters are now well used to seeing. Complete dominance of possession by the home side and once the first goal had gone in it really was a question of how many more the Dolphins would get. There were large parts of the game where Poole played some excellent football and also some small periods of sloppiness that fortunately went unpunished.

To be fair Alresford were not the strongest side we've seen this season but when you are denied the ball for so long it is always difficult to show what you are capable of. The most surprising thing was that it took nearly half an hour for Poole to break the deadlock. There had been enough chances to suggest that the goal would come however. On 16 minutes a Hubbard corner was met perfectly by the head of Dibba but the ball just flew over the crossbar. Carl Preston also looked very lively and he had a left foot shot from an acute angle flash across the face of an unguarded goal.

Dave Sturgess picked up an injury from an early crunching tackle and he was soon replaced by Taffy Richardson who then proceeded to dominate the midifield for the rest of the first half. It was from great midfield pressure from Poole that the opening goal arrived. On 27 minutes great closing down across the pitch saw the ball travel back towards the Alresford box. Charlie Austin robbed the defender of the ball and slid in Cook who waited for the keeper before sliding it under him to score.

Eight minutes later and it was 2-0. Another terrific Hubbard corner found Dibba at the far post and as he headed it back across the face Cook was on hand to apply the finish into the roof of the net. Despite surging forward and playing some great football after this Poole failed to add to their first half tally.

Half time: 2-0.

Stuart Brown replaced Hubbard shortly into the second half and Poole continued where they had left off. Both Cook and Richardson had one on ones with the keeper with the visiting goalie winning both battles. Austin also had the ball in the back of the net before being ruled offside.

However, on 59 minutes there was no denying Austin when the young hotshot jinked past two defenders on the edge of the box and then curled the ball in off the far post - a great goal. A minute later and he grabbed his brace when a fine move saw Skelton find Stuart Brown and his excellent ball found Austin who took it round the keeper before placing the ball into an empty net.

Steve Smith came off the bench for Russell Cook on 62 minutes. On 65 minutes Nic Jones was called into action. Some poor defending allowed Alresford to break and Jones made a brilliant double save to maintain the home side's clean sheet. He has easily matched Harvell from last season so far. Not much to do but absolutely focused when called on to perform. Again, it must give the defence much confidence with him behind them.

Controversy on 71 minutes when a challenge from Austin left the Alresford keeper on the ground out of his goal. The referee allowed play to continue and Brown eventually picked out Steve Smith who produced a trademark lob from twenty yards over the covering defenders to score. The protests from the Alresford players and bench lasted quite a while!

Having assisted in two goals already Stuart Brown finally scored his first of the season. With just five minutes left he raced clear and after his right foot shot was parried by the keeper he lashed it past him at the second attempt with his left foot.

Back to the top of the table and good preparation for the upcoming FA Cup battle in the west country.