At last a bit of summer and on a Bank Holiday weekend too. The Loyal travelled to Horndean and gave them a crowd for this encounter on the sloping pitch. Poole played uphill first half and took the game straight to Horndean, who were slow to get started.
Steve Smith made his season’s first start and was out to impress the manager. Tom didn't have to wait long as the goalhunter was given the ball 20 yards out and spun and shot low but just wide on 6 minutes. Two minutes later Billy Pearce saw his shot ricochet of the post as Poole commanded the ‘high ground’. Carl Poore sent in a long ball from half way that was headed away from the danger area, but Smith had read the ball's flight perfectly and nipped in to slam the ball home under Ballards dive at the near post Poole lead 1-0 with 9 minutes gone.
Horndean finally woke up and started to make a game of it. Their long balls through Poole’s back line gaining momentum as they sped downhill towards Harvell’s goal, but few were to bother Jason. McKie firing wide on 20 minutes being one of note. Kircher pulled up injured on 23 minutes to be replaced by Grant Dove as the game continued at a frantic pace. Our pocket-rocket Kevin Gill had a stormer of a game again chasing down everything in this zone and delivering some punishing tackles to regain possession of the ball. His cross in on 27 minutes over the top of the home defence gave Stu Brown a clear head at goal but Browner failed to get enough power behind it and Ballard caught the goalbound ball.
On 32 minutes, Skipper Simon , who does a sterling job as the ‘Kindergarten Cop’ looking after the mascots at our home games, fired in the perfect ball in that was to give his namesake his season’s first. Taffy headed the ball back across the 18 yards line, Smithy aired his attempt to meet it but Stu buried it with a trademark rocket and Poole had a second.
Steve Smith could have made it three a few minutes later having picked up a ball from Brown on the edge of the area and worked himself some space to shoot, but the ball didn’t oblige and curled just wide. But Poole were not be be denied and four minutes before the break Lamin rose head and shoulders above everyone else, even higher than Ballard’s outstretched arms to head home a corner from the far post. Gill had a shot go wide and Smith another blocked before the end of the half. Poole lead 3-0 but it could have been more.
Half time: 0-3
Second half saw the debut of Michael White, a central defender signed this week from Gosport Boro who seem to be shedding players at the moment (two new arrivals from Boro lined up against us for Horndean as well). Michael is in to bolster our back line who with the exception of Aaron Skelton and possibly Sean Hogan have no one on the bench should they pick up a knock. Skipper Simon Browne made way having felt something twinge in his leg and the captaincy passed to Luke. With White taking Lamin’s role at centre-half, the big lad moved out to the left and began ranging up and down the wing causing no end of trouble for the home side. But his movement seemed to break Poole’s shape again and while Harvell’s only employment was catching Horndean’s long hail-mary shots over the top, and our back line remained solid Horndean were allowed to make more of a game of it. Swann and Austin replaced Taffy and Brown on 60 minutes , just after Gill had another shot go wide.
Poole still had spells of command. Swann hit the post and mistimed a header at the far post that looked a cert. Austin had a header pushed aside and a shot saved by Ballard, but picked up a yellow for dissent, then turned provider with a laid back ball to Hubbard who drove the return low but just wide of the post. However the 3-0 win gives us the points, and with Moneyfields being held to draw by New Milton, places us atop the Premier table, the only side left with a 100% record and still to concede a goal. Well done lads.
