THE bigger picture generally offers a truer reflection.

Life at the top of the Southern League had, until Saturday, been a bed of roses for Poole Town.

Unbeaten and boasting a record of 11 wins and a draw from their first 12 games, the Dolphins had deservedly soared to the summit of the Premier Division.

Their success had been built on a solid rearguard action with four goals conceded testament to the adage about defending from the front.

Acutely aware the firepower department was perhaps the weak link, boss Tom Killick had made no secret of his desire to bolster, even though Poole had coped admirably following the loss to injury of Cherries loan star Josh O’Hanlon.

A visit to Rowley Park, home to big-spending St Neots Town – the bookies’ pre-season favourites for the title – was always likely to be Poole’s biggest test of the campaign so far and so it proved.

Poole’s closest pursuers ahead of kick-off, the second-placed Saints included a wealth of experience with midfielder Matt Spring a veteran of more than 500 games in the Football League.

The Saints also paraded new signing Paul Bastock, the 44-year-old goalkeeper who won the Southern League and Conference with Boston United where he remains the club’s record appearance-maker.

With the visitors trailing 3-2 in injury-time, Bastock’s heroics proved vital as he tipped Steve Devlin’s thunderous 25-yarder on to the crossbar to ensure Saints would inflict a first league defeat on Poole.

Earlier, Poole, transformed by Killick into fearsome opponents, had taken the lead when Jamie Whisken forced the ball home through a crowded six-yard box after 13 minutes.

Dolphins goalkeeper Nick Hutchings pulled off a couple of smart saves to keep out the Saints until the prolific Drew Roberts powered a shot into the roof of the net via the underside of the crossbar to level on the stroke of half-time.

The hosts forged ahead when Drew Roberts touched home an acrobatic overhead kick from defender Ryan Frater midway through the second half before Lewis Hilliard struck to make it 3-1 eight minutes from time.

Although substitute Luke Roberts pulled one back late on following a Devlin corner, the Saints held on for a victory which would have caused more merriment in the home dressing room than it would have concern in the visiting team’s.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “I didn’t think there was much between the two sides. They were probably slightly better and probably had a bit more possession but they didn’t create many clear-cut chances.

“The significant event from our point of view was their equaliser on the stroke of half-time. They scored and then the referee blew almost immediately. That was difficult psychologically for us because it changed the complexion of the game.

“We weren’t well beaten by any means and, even at the end, we struck the crossbar when the goalkeeper got a slight touch, otherwise we would have come away with a draw which everyone would have viewed as a good result. We just fell that little bit short.”

Killick added: “As much as we were upset, we can’t get carried away because we have no divine right to get out of this league. There are some unbelievably powerful teams and clubs in this division and going to St Neots was a reminder of that.

“We have clubs like Weymouth languishing behind us at the moment and, two or three years ago, nobody would have ever thought that would be the case. Sometimes people can get a little unrealistic with their expectations but I am proud of what the players have done so far.

“We have a home game against Hereford on Saturday and it is all about how you respond to these setbacks. You can afford one-off losses in a sequences of good results but you can’t afford to be badly affected by one defeat and follow up with two or three others. We have to look forward and see if we can get a positive result against Hereford.”

Dolphins: Hutchings, Tallack, Martin (Lindsay, 73), Walker, Whisken, Burbidge, Pettefer, Devlin, Brooks, Preston (Gosney, 61), Jermyn (Roberts, 65). Unused subs: Munday, Manley (g/k).

Saints: Bastock, York, Bickerstaff, Wilson (Thorne, 82), R Frater, Hoyte, Davies, Spring, N Frater (Nolan, 87), D Roberts, Hilliard (Ford, 90). Unused subs: Peacock, Ferrari.

Referee: Shaun Barry (Northampton).

Attendance: 619.