BOSS Tom Killick saw Poole Town ease to a 4-1 win over strugglers Bishop’s Stortford and then took the unusual step of praising a referee, reports Jack Tanner.

Official Chris O’Donnell had a number of key decisions to make at Woodside Park – including no fewer than three penalty calls.

Poole benefited twice with Steve Devlin netting from the spot either side of half-time to give them a two-goal lead.

Luke Roberts and in-form Marvin Brooks also scored to cap a ruthless away performance which saw Dolphins move into fourth place.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “I thought the referee deserved a bit of credit for the first penalty. I felt it was a penalty, but perhaps a referee with less resilience and strength in character would have leaned towards not giving it.

“He did well – it’s not very often that I praise referees!”

Devlin’s first spot-kick was awarded after Marvin Brooks had been felled by goalkeeper Harry Voss in the 36th minute, arguably the most controversial of the three penalty decisions.

Killick added: “The first one wasn’t as clear-cut because he was quite wide and the ball had pretty much gone out of play. The keeper clipped him, despite the ball being a distance away.”

Two minutes after the break, a foul on Roberts saw O’Donnell again point to the spot, allowing Devlin to double his tally when he put his second penalty in the same place as the first.

Sandwiched between the second and third penalty appeals was Roberts’ 49th-minute strike from the edge of the area as Dolphins effectively killed off the game in a frantic flurry after the break.

It was the second time in two games that Poole had scored soon after the restart, something Killick had aimed for in his approach.

He said: “You are playing a side at the bottom and you know they are going to come out fighting at the start of both halves so you have to make sure you are focused and ready to start strongly.

“I think that you just have to try and start both halves really powerfully and grasp the initiative.”

As the game entered the final stages, Poole were briefly pegged back by Aaron Greene’s free-kick, the only blemish on a positive day.

The visitors looked to restore their three-goal cushion and thought they should have an opportunity when substitute Dakota Askew was taken out by Voss in the area but referee O’Donnell was unmoved.

Killick added: “The second one was blatant and I thought the third call looked a very clear penalty as well.

“But some referees wouldn’t have given the first one so it effectively balanced out.”

Brooks was restricted to a few chances during the game and it looked as if his impressive run of three goals in three games had come to an end as the clock ticked towards the final minute.

But the makeshift striker finished off a textbook counter-attack to cap an excellent team display and maintain his personal streak.

“In terms of the team performance, it was a good balance,” said Killick. “We looked very solid defensively, but we were threatening going forward.

“Overall, it was very pleasing. The only tiny blot was the goal we conceded, but it was a very good away performance.”

Dolphins: Hutchings, Tallack, Moore, Spetch, Whisken, Pettefer (Granger, 58), Burbidge, Devlin, Roberts (Wakefield, 65), Brooks, Baggie (Askew, 81). Unused subs: G Richardson, Rees (g/k).