POOLE Town ran riot during the final half an hour of their derby clash against Weymouth to leapfrog their title rivals at the summit.

Steve Devlin’s penalty lit the blue touch just past the hour before substitute Richard Gillespie’s double sandwiched a strike from former Terra Luke Burbidge.

The emphatic 4-0 victory saw Dolphins re-establish a two-point cushion at the Southern League Premier Division summit with three games in hand on their second-placed Dorset neighbours.

Ex-Poole winger Adam Kelly flashed wide for the visitors early on during a frantic start which saw both sides struggle to keep possession.

Cherries loanee Joe Quigley hit a tame effort at Weymouth player-boss and goalkeeper Jason Matthews after Burbidge’s delivery had caused some defensive confusion.

Dolphins should have led when Quigley fluffed his lines from three yards out after Devlin’s corner had been flicked to the back post.

But the youngster continued to torment the Weymouth defence down the left, moving inside before firing just wide.

The duelling adversaries traded half-chances either side of the interval before Poole skipper Jamie Whisken went close with Weymouth on the ropes.

But the home side soon got their opener.

Burbidge’s cross from the right dropped at the back post for Ben Close who was brought down by Ashley Wells and up stepped Devlin to slam home from the spot with 62 minutes on the clock.

Controversy followed when Kelly went down in the Poole area with two men breathing down his neck but despite the visitors’ protests, referee Daniel Leach was unmoved.

Kelly then volleyed just past the post but an inspired substitution from Dolphins boss Tom Kllick put the game beyond doubt with 15 minutes to play.

Gillespie, who had just replaced Lewis Lindsay, popped up to nudge home a corner from close range with his first touch.

Burbidge broke clear and added the third four minutes from time, the winger drilling past Matthews the ball into the far corner.

And Gillespie was in the right place to add number four in stoppage time and condemn Weymouth to a crushing defeat in front of a buoyant crowd of 1,249.

Dolphins: Hutchings, Tallack, Lindsay (Gillespie, 79), Walker, Whisken, Pettefer, Burbidge, Devlin, Quigley (Roberts, 87), M Brooks, Close (Emmerson, 68). Subs not used: Davis, Thomas (g/k).

  • Wimborne Town's rough week continued with a 3-0 defeat at Tiverton Town in Southern South & West. 

The Magpies, whose chairperson Paula Henley publicly criticised the influence of two fellow board members having relinquished her position on Thursday, remain 11th in the table.

In the Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division, Lymington Town thumped title contenders Moneyfields 5-1, Hamworthy United beat Horndean 2-1 at the County Ground and Verwood Town won 1-0 at Alresford. 

Bournemouth Poppies had their match at Andover Town postponed and Christchurch had no scheduled fixture.

New Milton Town beat Andover New Street 4-0 in Division One but Ringwood Town suffered a 3-0 reverse at home to Amesbury.