POOLE Town boss Tom Killick paid tribute to outgoing ex-Cherries stalwart Warren Cummings – and conceded the defender’s departure had left him in a pickle.

Cummings played his last match for Dolphins in yesterday’s 2-0 success over St Neots Town before linking up with former Cherries boss Lee Bradbury at Conference South club Havant & Waterlooville.

The victory, which came courtesy of goals from Dan Cann and Marvin Brooks either side of the interval, lifted Killick’s men back into the Southern Premier play-off places after more than a month without a league fixture.

But with fellow left-back Ian Oliver leaving Tatnam on the back of limited first-team opportunities and continued interest in star performer Will Spetch, Killick admitted the timing of Cummings’s exit could not have been worse.

He told the Daily Echo: “As things stand, we have no recognised left-back and we have to try and remedy that quickly because Warren's boots are going to be big to fill. I have had two or three conversations already but we have nothing concrete set up yet.

“It was disappointing to lose him because he has made such a big impact in the short space of time he has been here. He is very charismatic and his personality has really helped to enhance us off the field as well as his obvious influence on it.

“I fully understand his reasons for going and I am sure he would say it has been difficult for him because he was very happy here.

“But Havant play in the league above and he feels he has to play at the highest possible level. From our point of view, if it didn’t work out then we would love to have him back.”

Poole’s manager suggested he could dip into the loan market for cover but that the ongoing speculation surrounding Spetch would not affect his recruitment at this stage.

Huddersfield Town and Yeovil Town are understood to have watched the much-vaunted 22-year-old against St Neots, while Killick said Portsmouth had Dolphins’ blessing to have another look at him following a recent trial match.

Killick added: “It is in the back of my mind but things with Will are uncertain and, for now, we can only really concentrate on Warren’s departure. If and when anything happens, there might be completely different players available.”

On the match, Killick said: “St Neots started very strongly and it looked like it was going to be a difficult afternoon for us. We had to be at our best and it took a lot of effort to keep a clean sheet.

“The players deserve a bit of credit for beating a team who seem to be in a false position. I would expect them to climb the table quite quickly.”

Dolphins: Hutchings, Clarke, Spetch, Cummings, Whisken, Pettefer, Brooks, Devlin, Charles (Dibba, 85), Preston, Cann (Richardson, 88). Unused subs: Byerley, Davies, Thomas (g/k).