BOSS Tom Killick cannot wait to lead Poole Town against non-league heavyweights Hereford United – even if he thinks the sleeping giant is starting to stir.

Six years ago, the Bulls were plying their trade alongside Brighton, Leeds and Leicester in League One, a division above Cherries, who were embarking on their Greatest Escape season in the fourth tier.

Dolphins were busy breezing their way to the Wessex League title but seemed light years away from meeting United on a level playing field with their facilities preventing promotion.

Whether Poole’s meteoric rise to the Southern League summit or Hereford’s thumping fall from grace is more spectacular is open to debate but Killick chooses to look at tomorrow’s Tatnam clash (3pm) as both a measure and a test of his club’s credentials.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “To play a club of Hereford’s stature in a league match is brilliant for us.

"I remember at the start of my time here playing at a level where we found ourselves doing the team talk in communal changing rooms.

“This type of fixture shows just how far we have come in a short space of time and it will be a big occasion for the club.

“In terms of timing, it would have been much better to play them at the start of the season while they were still sorting out their squad.

"Over the past few weeks, they have got progressively stronger so it will be a tough test, certainly tougher than the league table might suggest.”

Meanwhile, Killick revealed that he hopes to renew Josh O’Hanlon’s youth loan from Cherries sooner rather than later with the Irish striker due to return to training next week.

“From our point of view, we want to get Josh back but it is all subject to the player and AFC Bournemouth being happy,” said Killick.

“Both have indicated that is the case but any talk is premature until he is fit to play.”

Examinations showed loan winger Mike Gosney suffered no broken bones as a result of a heavy challenge in Tuesday’s League Cup win over Wimborne but he has yet to recovery sufficiently to face the Bulls.

Killick hopes to have fellow injury victim Mark Jermyn available, while Marvin Brooks and Carl Preston are expected to overcome minor muscle strains.

Dolphins: (from) Hutchings, Tallack, Martin, Lindsay, Walker, Whisken, Burbidge, Pettefer, Devlin, Brooks, Preston, Jermyn, Roberts, Munday, Lowes, Emmerson, Manley.