A very comfortable win against an extremely poor Bashley side saw the Dolphins advance to the 2nd Qualifying Round with a home game against Didcot Town scheduled for Saturday 27th October.

After the stalemate at Tatnam on Saturday both managers had contrasting things to say about their own teams' performance. Whilst Frank Gray thought Bashley had played well, Town manager Tom Killick had been fairly scathing about his side's efforts. It was therefore widely believed that if Poole upped their game then they would still be favourites to progress and so it proved to be.

The initial half hour was heralded by a torrential downpour and very little else as the game resembled much of the first tie at Tatnam, scrappy. There were odd chances for both sides, Bashley going close from a header and Stokoe producing a great point blank save from Hutchings, and Emmerson and Kelly having long range efforts for Poole.

However, on 32 minutes Carl Preston produced some magic in the box, beat a defender and fired in with his left foot from tight angle. It was the first time in the tie that Poole had been ahead and they never looked back from this point. Preston himself was in brilliant form and just minutes later he raced from the halfway line down the right wing, cut into the box, squeezed between two defenders before seeing his shot smothered by the home keeper.

The only goal not scored by Preston was created by him when just before half time he jinked down the left and produced a lovely cross which Middleton could only guide into his own net with Steve Brown putting him under pressure.

Half time: 0-2

If the first half had been successful for the Dolphins the second half turned into a romp as Bashley all but caved in knowing the tie was gone. Karim Lammali replaced Steve Brown early on and on 62 minutes it was Lammali who threaded a pass though to Preston who took the ball wide of the keeper before firing into an empty net.

Poole were all over Bashley now and they looked like scoring every time they went forward. Emmerson, back in defence after Taffy Richardson had replaced Lamin Dibba continued to provide some lovely crosses into the box. Kelly looked industrious throughout the game and Preston was, well, unplayable. He completed his first hat-trick for the club when he thumped home a penalty after Ian Richardson handled in his own area - sweet justice for Richardson's unsportsmanlike behaviour in the first game when he screamed at the ref to give Karim a yellow card for handball.

The easiest win of Poole's season so far but a far sterner test will be waiting at Tatnam when Didcot visit later in the month.

Steve Bean