Poole Town put behind their horror show in the FA Cup to beat local rivals Wimborne Town 1-0 to continue the impressive start to their league form.

After a 5-0 defeat to league rivals Yate Town on Saturday, the Tatnam Park outfit didn’t have long to restart their good form and add to the home win and away draw in the league on Bank Holiday Monday.

The winning goal was scored on the half hour mark when Marvin Brooks scored his third goal in three league games. It came after Wimborne goalie, Dan Ackerman, failed to reach a cross to give Carl Preston a chance for a shot on goal, only for his shot to be blocked by Jordan Cole on the goal-line. However the defence failed to clear, leaving Preston to return the ball into the 6 yard area for Brooks to head home after climbing unchallenged.

Poole looked the better side in the first half as the main threat came from the Dolphin’s height and power from set pieces. They could have gone in at half-time a lot more comfortable, after Michael Walker had a header cleared off the line and a goal was disallowed through an infringement.

The first half performance would have pleased Tom Killick, as he watched from the stand due to his touchline ban, after he was missing key players from the starting line-up. Lamin Dibba and Sam Clark were missing from the defence as Keith Emmerson and Simon Baines first appearance at right back slotted in perfectly to see the three times Wessex league champions keep their second clean sheet of the season.

However it was Steve Devlin and Glenn Howes who were both massively missed in the second half as the Magpies slowly got back in the game. The injured two's expertise was wanted in the midfield, as Poole kept giving the ball away and needed playmaker Devlin to allow possession to put pressure back onto the opponents defence.

Dave Sturgess was given the role in central midfield, alongside Steve ‘Taffy’ Richardson, in his first start of the season and impressed in the first half but was well matched by his opposite number, ex Poole favourite Micky Hubbard, as Wimborne took control of the midfield battle after the break.

It was return of a few other former Dolphin players back at Tatnam as striker Steve Smith and Kevin Gill both featured in the Steve Cuss’ starting eleven. And it was Smith, who could have grabbed a late draw for the Magpies, only for the youngster to put his shot over the bar after a fumble from goalkeeper Nick Hutchings.

The away side’s confidence grew in the final five minutes when Jamie Davidson got the better of Poole’s defence to get a shot away but was not rewarded as he hit the crossbar from a tight angle.

After taking the positives from the game and learning from the second half, Poole will look to establish themselves as the promotion contenders looking to avenge last weekend's defeat away to Yate Town, when they revisit the scene of the crime in the league.