Only the third game for the Dolphins in December and the first at Tatnam for a month. The usual Christmas derby saw Hamworthy United visit the home of the Champions as Simon Browne pitted his managerial wits against Tom Killick for the first time.

With Trefor Smith recovering from his head injury (and great to see him at the ground) Kevin Gill returned to the right side of midfield - otherwise it was pretty much as expected for Poole as they sought to make it a sixth straight win in all competitions.

The rain overnight had put the game at risk but luckily it stayed dry and the game kicked off in front of a terrific crowd of 421. Poole attacked from the start and within the first sixty seconds Stuart Brown escaped down the right and his cross into the box was just in front of Russell Cook and a defender scrambled it behind for a corner.

Brown in particular looked very sharp and a shot from him on three minutes flew just over the bar after the ball had dropped nicely in front of him just eight yards out. A minute later and Brown was away again, this time down the left wing and after finding Cook in the box it really should have been a goal but Cook failed to make the most of the opportunity.

Russell Cook got in again on eleven minutes when he wasn't picked up wide right and he sprinted into the box. With Carl Preston free square of him Cook decided to shoot himself and Shergold in the United goal made a good save, deflecting the ball down and bouncing just over the bar. This was the fourth really good chance for Poole in the opening few minutes and it was now a case of making one of them count. On 17 minutes Brown found Cook again and his shot was blocked for a corner. Hubbard sent in the a perfect cross and Aaron Skelton thumped a header just wide of the goal.

Hamworthy had weathered the expected early storm and they dug in defensively with some grit. They were willing to allow Poole almost total possession and failed to use the ball themselves whenever they got it. Once decent move did flow for the Hammers on the half hour when a neat Mekchiche flick opened up the Poole left side. The resulting cross found a free head in the Poole box but the ball went just wide of the post.

Late in the half a Hubbard freekick eluded almost everyone in the box and Luke Whitley hammered a volley back across the face of the goal, the ball eventually going out harmlessly for a goal kick. The interval arrive and for Hamworthy they had completed half of their task.

Half time: 0-0.

The second half followed a similar pattern as the first but some bad defending, and a nightmare half from the Hamworthy keeper, eventually saw Poole home quite comfortably. On 50 minutes Hubbard had a dipping shot which was scooped away for a corner. Three minutes later and another corner brought the first goal. Hubbard sent it in and Whitley's firm header went straight through the keeper's hands and dropped over the line.

Now in front the confidence surged through the Poole players as they went after more goals. Sturgess replaced Skelton and within minutes the lead was doubled. Firstly a Hubbard shot was fumbled by the keeper although he made up for it with a fine save after Brown had got to the rebound. But then Hubbard hit another pile driver from the edge of the box and after it crashed back off the post Brown was on hand to collect and drilled into the corner.

Hubbard and Brown themselves were replaced by Taffy Richardson and Steve Smith respectively with twenty minutes still to go. As usual super sub Smith did it again - five minutes on the pitch and he latched on to a flicked on corner and finished well at the far post. He is now joint top scorer with Russell Cook - 19 goals each this season.

Poole saw the game out well to claim the points and temporarily at least, go back to the top of the table.