With Wimborne at VT today and away trips to Moneyfields and VT coming up, it was crucial that Poole Town picked up three points at home to a vastly improved Hayling United side, themselves on a significant unbeaten run in the league.

Another great autumnal day greeted the teams as Poole was led out by captain Luke Whitley. I'm sure everybody was boosted by the appearance of Adam Tong and his father at the game. Great for everybody to see him and we wish him well on his road to full recovery.

Austin and Stuart Brown renewed their partnership up front and Mike Walker and Michael White again played alongside Dibba and Whitley at the back. Elsewhere it was the 'usual' faces making up the Poole side.

It was a slow start from Poole once again but this was probably down more to the tactics and sharpness of Hayling at the beginning of the match. The visitors immediately employed a 4-3-3 formation which was brave in coming to Tatnam but credit to them for in the opening quarter of an hour they looked the better side - playing some neat football and looking quite dangerous on the break. Harvell was called into action fairly early on, parrying a fierce shot away from danger.

On 13 minutes Poole should have taken the lead. Bailey-Pearce beat the keeper to the ball and nipped it away from him and squared to Stuart Brown. With no goalkeeper and a couple of defenders on the line Brown took a touch to control the ball but then proceeded to balloon the ball high over the bar from about 5 yards out - it was a bad miss.

As Poole began to find their feet in the match they took the lead on 24 minutes and it was a sweet move that led to the goal. Bailey-Pearce won the ball in midfield and surged forward. He played Gill in wide down the right and as usual Gill produced the perfect cross and Charlie Austin headed superbly back across goal into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Mike Walker has slotted seamlessly into the defence and looks a terrific player. On 29 minutes he produced a fine pass to Stu Brown. In turn he switched play across the pitch to Bailey-Pearce and his shot flew just wide of the post. Five minutes later and the same three players combined brilliantly again. Walker was superb on the left and fed Brown. He chested the ball down and set up Bailey-Pearce on the edge of the box and this time the effort was on target but was tipped away for a corner. Good football all round. From the resulting pressure the ball bobbled in the box and Austin was on hand to thump the ball home despite all sorts of protests from the Hayling players. The goal stood and Poole were now 2-0 up and in control.

Half time: 2-0

There was little excitement in the second half but Poole played well. They had too as well as still Hayling looked good in patches. Steve Smith replaced Austin on 65 minutes and later on Sturgess and Swann came on for Richardson and Brown. Prior to that the game was sealed on 70 minutes with Poole's third goal. Hubbard produced a nice ball out wide to Gill on the right. With everyone expecting him to control the ball first, everyone was caught out when Gill volleyed back into the box first time and the Hayling number 4 launched himself at the ball and his header gave the Hayling keeper no chance as it flew into the net.

In the end it was a comfortable win which keeps Poole flying high at the top of the table. Make no mistake though, Hayling are a decent side and they will take points off some of the more fancied sides this season as they have done already (2-2 draw at Wimborne). However, trips to Moneyfields and VT await Poole over the next two weeks - matches that could go a long way in deciding the destination of this season's Wessex Premier crown.