TOM KILLICK was content to let yesterday's non-league transfer deadline day pass without undertaking major surgery to his high-flying Poole Town squad, declaring "we will stick with what we have".

Killick's only piece of business was a late swoop to sign exciting teenager Adam Grange on a dual registration with Andover Town, the winger's current club.

Dolphins, beaten only once in their past eight games, are fifth in National League South, with a three-point advantage over Hungerford outside the play-off places.

And Killick, who welcomes back "immense" defender Will Spetch for tomorrow's trip to Oxford City, expects his troops to embrace the pressure during their decisive run-in – with 19-year-old former England Schoolboys player Grange joining a group pursuing a second successive promotion.

Killick told the Daily Echo: "We had a think about whether we might be able to get somebody else in on loan.

"But although it’s not a big squad we can just about cover things, as long as we are not unbelievably unlucky with injures.

"Also, we have a very good group of under-18s and I want to take the opportunity of giving some of them game time between now and the end of the season.

"When you take those things into account, together with the financial constrains we are under, having spent the money we have on the stadium, we decided to stick with what we have got."

Poole were stunned 3-1 at home by an Oxford side struggling near the foot of the table back in October.

And with this weekend's opponents having since climbed clear of trouble, Killick knows his team have another sizeable hurdle to clear on their route to the play-offs.

He said: "When we lost to them they were really in the mire. They have improved since then and away from home it will be even more difficult.

"But we have not had a season in recent years where we have got to this stage without a lot of pressure on us.

"We showed last year we were able to cope with that. I sense that our players are calm and determined.

"They are in good shape, both physically and mentally, to deal with this period."

Spetch was banned for Dolphins' rollercoaster home draw with Hampton & Richmond seven days ago, and the subsequent midweek victory over Truro that propelled them back into the top-five.

But while the centre-half is free to return, Killick must continue to do without injured pair Lewis Lindsay and Richard Gillespie.

"Having Will back is a real boost for us," added Killick. "He is absolutely immense and a hugely popular figure with the other players.

"Richard Gillespie will be out for another couple of weeks.

"Lewis’s injury is proving a complicated one to resolve. I have got an awful lot of time for him as a person and a player and I want to make sure that when he comes back he is in a really good place.

"If that means we are without him for the rest of the season, so be it."

Poole's potentially decisive clash with Hungerford, postponed earlier this month, has been rescheduled for Tuesday April 4.

Dolphins (from): Hutchings, Tallack, Spetch, Whisken, Moore, Pettefer, Devlin, Roberts, Baggie, Wakefield, Burbidge; Brooks, Rees, Grange, Gale, Davis.