BOSS Tom Killick is hoping Poole Town can strike an early blow in the fight for promotion when they visit fellow Southern League high-fliers Tiverton tomorrow (3pm).

Second-placed Tivvy are unbeaten at Ladysmead and are currently two points and one place ahead of the Dolphins in Division One South & West, although Killick’s men have four games in hand.

The Devonians registered a 2-0 win over Wimborne a fortnight ago before the Magpies chalked up a 3-0 victory over Poole in the second round of the Southern League Cup just four days later.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “Tiverton have some very good players. Joe Bushin is a handful and they have just signed Dave Pearse from Bridgwater who is another threat.

“They clearly want to push on. I felt they were a decent side last season and I think they have improved so I am not surprised they are near the top.

“It is going to be one of our more difficult tasks but we have got a bit of a determination about us after the disappointment of the Wimborne game and we want to try to bounce back from that.”

Lamin Dibba and Adam Kelly are both suspended, while Lee Collier is facing an extended spell on the sidelines after breaking his wrist against Wimborne.

Dolphins: (from) Hutchings, Baines, Walker, Spetch, Clarke, Emmerson, Burbidge, Devlin, Howes, Brooks, Preston, S Brown, Byerley, Wilson, Richardson, T Brown.

  •  Manager Ken Vaughan will be hoping to welcome back a number of players when Poppies visit crisis-hit Alton Town in the Wessex Premier (3pm).

The depleted Bournemouth outfit had no fewer than 13 men unavailable as they crashed out of the League Cup quarter-finals in a 4-0 midweek home defeat to East Cowes Vics.

Injured Scott Joyce, Jack Swann, Sam Lockyer, Tony Maguire, James Wilson and Steve Llewelyn could all remain on the sidelines but Luke Ayrton, Martin Warren, Aaron Corby, Ollie Phillipson-Masters, Fawzi Saadi and Johnathon Watt could return.

Poppies: (from) Jones, Molyneaux, Jackson, Clarke, Batchelor, Ward, Purdy, Caslake, Teppett, Pickett, Phillips, Hales, Khider, Graham, Lepage, Ayrton, Warren, Corby, Phillipson-Masters, Saadi, Watt, Vaughan.

  •  Verwood Town will be without suspended Matt Delaney for their trip to high-flying Moneyfields.

Elsewhere, Hamworthy United travel to Newport (IOW) and struggling New Milton Town host AFC Portchester at Fawcett’s Field.

Potters: (from) Lynch, M Smith, Kelly, Gajic, Dyer, Webb, Satterley, Haskell, Saxby, Evans, Elysee, Murray, J Smith.

Hammers: (from) Knights, Murray, Horlock, Hester, Staines, Pekun, Shovelton, Penny, Robinson, Sturgess, Carlile, Bradley, Lanahan, Muller, Murphy.

  •  Ringwood visit high-flying Team Solent in Wessex Division One.

Ringwood: (from) Daley, Osman, Bailey, Rolls, Pierson, Midson, Steer, Leadbetter, Chattey, Heggan, Hancox, Taylor, Morrell, Barwood.