CARL Pettefer backed promotion-chasing Poole to succeed where former club AFC Totton had failed as he targeted a Southern League title tilt.

Pettefer, who skippered the Stags to their Southern South & West title, the FA Cup second round and a Premier Division play-off berth, faces his past employers for the first time tonight (7.45pm) since switching to Tatnam over the summer.

The ex-Southend United star, 32, became the fourth member of Totton’s talented squad to join Dolphins’ quest for back-to-back promotions alongside winger Jon Davies, centre-half Jamie Whisken and hotshot Richard Gillespie.

But despite seeing his colleagues fall short in their bid for the Conference South in the past, Pettefer reckons the resilient mindset instilled by boss Tom Killick will ensure Poole go one better.

Pettefer told the Daily Echo: “Whether you look at the squad individually or as a group, there is a stronger mentality than there was at Totton.

“Sometimes (at Totton) we would go away from home and be happy to take a point but Tommy (Killick) drums it into us that we have to take every win we can if we want to be promoted.

“Mentally, we’re just that bit stronger, particularly on the road. We never just set out not to lose, there is a real belief we can win the majority of our away fixtures.

“You always get that bit of pressure from Tommy, good pressure to go and win matches, and that has a positive effect.

"It is hard to describe but there is always that sense we will find a way to take the three points.”

And Pettefer, who made more than 100 Football League appearances including one from the bench for Cherries, insisted Dolphins had nothing to fear against the league’s leading lights during the second half of the season.

On Poole’s promotion prospects, he added: “There is no way we want to settle for the play- offs, particularly with the games we have coming up.

“We have already showed we can compete with the best this league has to offer by winning at Chesham. We outplayed them and thoroughly deserved to win.

“Most teams in this league are not as consistent as they should be and even Hemel (Hempstead) have dropped points they shouldn’t have.”

As Dolphins prepare to host Totton tonight, Killick will be without full-back Sam Clarke, who serves a one-match ban, while Marvin Brooks misses out through injury.

Will Spetch is set to feature despite being on trial at AFC Wimbledon this week, while Lamin Dibba returns from illness.

Dolphins: (from) Thomas, Dibba, Spetch, Martin, Whisken, Pettefer, Davies, Devlin, Charles, Preston, Cann, Byerley, Elliott, Richardson, Lowes, Davis.