MANAGER Tom Killick insists Poole Town will not rip up their game plan to deal with Kettering Town’s new recruit – a striker who only quit playing professionally in March.

Rene Howe scored 60 goals in 245 Football League appearances but walked away from League Two Newport County earlier this year to care for his ill wife.

But with Howe now ready to return to the full-time game, he is using former-club Kettering to put himself in the shop window and kicked off his bid by netting in his first match, Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Chesham.

The Poppies have also recruited winger Wilson Carvalho, a “nemesis” Killick remembers from Corby last season, but the Tatnam boss is adamant Dolphins must focus on their own game.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “For them to be signing players of that ilk makes their level of ambition obvious.

“We have people to speak to about what to expect from Kettering but we are doing well and the players are so confident that I think we need to emphasise our own capabilities. If we carry on our recent form, it will be very hard for Kettering to stop us.

“Once we get the information in terms of individuals and how they shape up, we try to be mindful of their threats but I don’t envisage doing anything particularly special tactically with regard to him (Howe).”

Table-topping Poole head to Latimer Park tomorrow (3pm) protecting a run of one defeat in 13 Southern League matches. Since drawing at Dunstable, they have won three on the trot with a trio of clean sheets.

On maintaining their current form, Killick added; “I think you just have to keep reminding the players that it is all based on hard work, commitment and physicality. If you lose sight of those basic ingredients, the whole picture can quickly change.

“The main thing is to not get carried away or start thinking you’re better than you are but at the same time, the players need to enjoy this run because there will be spells in the season where we might struggle for form.

“The players are quite an experienced bunch and dealing with all of those aspects well gives you the best chance of winning the league. You just have to be relentless and keep at it.”

Midfielder Jamie Gleeson is still ruled out but the midfielder could make his return against Sherborne in the Dorset Senior Cup on Tuesday, while “things are looking more positive” with regard to Richard Gillespie’s long-term injury.

Dolphins: Hutchings, Tallack, Spetch, Whisken, Walker, Pettefer, Burbidge, Devlin, Roberts, Brooks, Dickson, Connell, Holmes, Lindsay, Rees.