Wimborne fell to a third consecutive ‘nil’ defeat when Charlie Davis scored the only goal of the game just before the interval watched by a massive Bank Holiday derby crowd.

Manager Tim Sills brought Ben Scorey and Sam Roberts into his back-line.

It was a cagey opening fifteen minutes, on a pitch narrowed by a yard on each touchline, before the game burst into life. Jez Bedford won a corner on the right in a battle with Smith; Davis’s cross from the left found Holmes free in front of Ross Flitney but his weak contact was easily cleared; Will Fletcher challenged keeper Plain for a high through ball, Cam Munn sent the loose ball towards the empty net only for Whisken to acrobatically clear; Matty Burrows fired the ball across the face of the goal from the by-line; the speedy winger then intercepted in midfield to combine with Matt Neale and Munn; Flitney raced out to clear a ball over the top of the visitors’ backline; and Josh Carmichael’s chip from distance was cleared.

The game ebbed and flowed with both defences, including keepers, looking comfortable on the ball. Sam Roberts and Harvey Wright were in commanding form giving danger-man Holmes little space; Fletcher shot wide from distance; McCarthy’s attempt from distance worried the pigeons more than Flitney; Sam Jackson cleared a Poole free-kick launched into the box; Carmichael’s 30-yard lob drifted wide of the open goal; Neale completed his defensive duties to stop Holmes; Jackson dispossessed McCarthy. But then, on forty-four minutes, the home side fashioned their first goal attempt on target. Holmes was cleverly played into space on the right of the goal area; instead of shooting he laid the ball across for Davis to tap the ball home from five yards. Burrows then won a corner only for Fletcher’s header from Neale’s delivery to flash past the far post.

There was a near repeat of that last attack at the start of the second period. Burrows drew a foul from Hanger, sent the resultant free-kick into the danger area and Fletcher’s goal-bound header was cleared off the line by Hanger. At the other end, on a counter-attack, Holmes sent Clarke free to be thwarted by Flitney; moments later, the big stopper was in action again, this time making a brilliant save from Holmes; Munn had a shot blocked following Carmichael’s free-kick; Fletcher raced onto Carmichael’s ball over the top, but his lob cleared keeper Plain and the bar; Poole substitute Diaz drove to the by-line and forced a typical diving header behind by Billy Walker.

Wimborne came close again on eighty-one minutes from a free-kick just to the right of the “D”. Keeper Plain calculated the angles and carefully lined up his defensive wall; Carmichael calculated his angles, and fancied his chance; his low driven shot evaded the end of the wall only to curve a foot wide of the far post. In the next minute, Flitney made another brilliant save, this time from Lowes from twelve yards. Poole’s Hoey came close on eighty-seven minutes when he picked up a rebound and his lob came back off the crossbar. The visitors laid siege to the home goal during the four minutes added-on, with Connor Cocklin’s header from Jackson’s cross being the closest they would come to bagging the equaliser their performance deserved.

Another defeat was disappointing, especially as it was a local derby. But there was little between the teams, with The Magpies having more goal attempts than The Dolphins (12 to 8). It comes down to fine margins, and taking your chances when they arise.

Are there reasons to be cheerful? Of course there are! Here’s four that immediately come to mind:

1. We’ve conceded a miserly 2 goals in total to the 3 teams lying 4th, 5th and 7th;
2. We’ve scored more league goals than Poole who are currently in the final play-off spot;
3. That second-half performance against Winchester;
4. We’re currently without Bakes, Bealey, Drew, Jack, and Morgs, and Ben Scorey made his first start against Poole.

Wimborne: Flitney, Scorey (Walker 65), Wright, Roberts, Jackson, Carmichael (Biss 85), Neale, Bedford (Mdlalose 75), Burrows (Ryan 85), Munn (Cocklin 89), Fletcher

Attendance: 1,615

Match stats: