Killick's wary of false table placings (From Bournemouth Echo)

Killick's wary of false table placings

7:00am Friday 18th January 2013 in Non league football By Neil Perrett

BOSS Tom Killick believes the Southern League Division One South & West table has yet to take shape – even though Poole have reached the mid-point of the season.

Dolphins and promotion rivals Merthyr are the only two clubs to have fulfilled exactly half of their fixtures with leaders Hungerford having played five more and struggling Sholing five fewer.

And Killick says this disparity, together with an inconsistency in results and a number of other factors, is contributing to several clubs finding themselves in false positions.

Second-placed Poole, who host mid-table Evesham United tomorrow (3pm), are currently five points behind Hungerford and 15 ahead of Tiverton, who occupy the final play-off spot.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “It is a strange league and there isn’t an awful lot to choose between the teams all the way through.

“If you had looked at the table a few weeks ago, Yate and Paulton were both near the bottom. Now, Yate are climbing steadily and are mid-table and Paulton are challenging for the play-offs. Teams seem to come with a spurt and you can see Sholing being next.

“It can be down to a change in manager or an influx of players. There is a lot of inconsistency in terms of opposition and, sometimes, you get a bit of luck and play teams at the right time.”

Killick added: “Evesham have got a new manager since we played them in October and their results have improved. It is just as likely to be as tough a game as some of the teams we have played near the top.”

Simon Baines, Steve Brown and Tom Brown are added to the Dolphins squad following their 4-0 hammering of Cinderford in midweek.

Dolphins: (from) R Emmerson, K Emmerson, Walker, Spetch, Clarke, Preston, Devlin, Howes, Burbidge, Charles, Byerley, Kelly, Brooks, Baggridge, Richardson, Dibba, Baines, S Brown, T Brown.

•  Wimborne will be bidding to record a hat-trick of league away wins when they face Division One South & West rivals Cirencester Town (3pm).

Magpies followed up an impressive 4-1 win at Winchester City on Boxing Day with arguably their best result of the campaign, a 2-1 triumph at high-flying Swindon Supermarine a fortnight ago.

However, while their away form has improved, Wimborne’s fortunes at Cuthbury have taken a nose dive, with a solitary point garnered from their past four home games.

Magpies boss Steve Cuss said: “We need to concentrate on our performances and getting back to the heights we enjoyed earlier in the season. It will be a tough game at Cirencester, as all games are in this league.”

Industrious midfielder Jon Blake, who missed the midweek defeat by Sholing, could be set to return to the squad.

Magpies: (from) Harvell, Arnold, Brian, Costello, Peprah-Annan, Maybury, Blake, Sainsbury, Hubbard, Jeffes, Davidson, Webb, Cole, Kemble, Smith, Gill, Ackerman.