NEW MILTON TOWN

On a pleasant sunny afternoon at Fawcetts Field Poole Town extended their lead at the top of the table as they recorded their 12th straight win on the road.

Carl Poore and Simon Browne both returned to the starting line-up with Sturgess and Hubbard dropping to the bench for this game. Stuart Brown also returned from illness and started on the bench with Culliford partnering Charlie Austin again.

This match saw a pretty even first half with both sides not creating too many clear cut chances and defending pretty well. On five minutes New Milton had a freekick on the edge of the box and a curling shot was brilliantly saved by Harvell who managed to get up and save again from the rebound. A superb double save.

Poole's first real chance came on 17 minutes. Austin touched the ball through to Gill and he managed to hold off the attentions of the defenders but pulled his left foot shot just wide of the post. Back came New Milton and three minutes later a corner into the Poole area found a Poole head and the New Milton number 5 then had a free header but put it wide of the right hand post.

Just on the stroke of half time Preston was brilliant on the left, got to the line and squared for Culliford. As Culliford slid in the keeper made a fine stop to prevent the visitors from taking the lead. 0-0 at half time and a fair reflection of the first forty five minutes.

Half time: 0-0.

The second half started off in a similar fashion to the first although Poole were gradually taking more control of the game. New Milton continued to work hard however and finding the gap was always going to be difficult. On 57 minutes Stuart Brown replaced Andy Culliford and this seemed to give Poole that little more drive up front.

On 72 minutes Poole eventually got the all important breakthrough. Kevin Gill found himself inside the box with the ball and although the keeper managed to save his shot Carl Preston was on hand to volley home the rebound. Two minutes later and it was Gill again, this time lobbing the ball over the defence and Charlie Austin nodded the ball down before drilling it past the keeper to score his 35th of the season. That was the points secure (not forgetting the Lymington game!) and substitutions followed with Sturgess and Bailey-Pearce coming on for Skelton and Austin respectively.

Stuart Brown raced clear in the dying minutes only to see his shot tipped onto the post by the keeper but with the last kick of the game Poole got their third when a brilliant cross from Poore on the right was touched into his own net by the New Milton number 7 with Whitley pressuring him.

A workmanlike performance and a solid one.