Report: Poole Tn 1-1 Salisbury City - Pre-season friendly

TRIALIST: Steve Brown

POOLE Town showed good character to fight back from a torrent of first half pressure, dominating the second half to draw 1-1 with Salisbury City of the Conference South.

City ran Tom Killick’s men ragged but only had Jamie White’s penalty to show for their dominance at the break, and the Dolphins took advantage after the interval with a more vibrant display following Lamin Dibba’s equaliser but couldn’t find a way to beat their higher ranked visitors.

City took a deserved lead on 16 minutes – as Dan Fitchett’s low throughball came into the area, Theo Lewis went down as he ran across Michael Walker with new signing White coolly slotting home the resultant spot kick to Nick Hutchings’ left.

The hosts lost their way, conceding possession with rushed passes while poor positioning left the back four looking disjointed. 

Cameron Hough’s shot fly high and wide after a slick build up and White wasted a glorious chance after bursting in one on one, but prodded his shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

Poole finally settled as the half went on but created little, and Chris McPhee joined the list of Salisbury players who should have doubled their lead on the stroke of half time, bursting through to catch Dibba in possession, but skewing his finish high and wide under pressure from Sam Clarke.

The Dolphins made several changes at the break, while City only made two, but it was Poole who hit the ground running, equalising within two minutes. Substitute ‘keeper Mark Scott parried Walker's powerful far post header, but Dibba was on hand to net the rebound.

Influential midfielder Steve Devlin was at the hub of Poole’s resurgence, pinging balls from left to right, creating space and stretching the Salisbury backline.

Devlin himself had a shot well clawed away by Scott on 69 minutes while Lewis and Stuart Sinclair might have done better at the other end with half chances.

As the action subsided thanks to tired legs, Spetch had to aware to cut off the supply to Garyn Breen late on, ensuring that Poole got the creditable draw that their second half composure and pressure deserved.

The only new face on the night for the Dolphins was Alton Town forward Steve Brown, who has also starred in defence for the Wessex League side. 

Boss Tom Killick said that Brown had impressed, but taking another look at him may prove difficult with Alton's season kicking off this weekend. Killick added that he is happy with his current crop of strikers but didn't rule out the prospect of new faces.

TEAM NEWS

POOLE TOWN: Hutchings, Clarke (O’Donnell 46), Spetch, Dibba, Walker (Brooks 46), Howes (Tickle 62), Burbidge (Beesley 62), Richardson (Devlin 46), Lamalli (Brown 46), Preston (Chudy 46), Sturgess.

Goal: Dibba 47.

SALISBURY CITY: Puddy (Scott 46), Udoji, Hart (Bowman 46), McPhee, Dutton, Matthews (Baggridge 48), Hough (Clark 55), Sinclair, White (Breen 68), Fitchett (Bowerman 55), Lewis.

Goal: White 16(p).