BOSS Tom Killick is adamant Poole Town are the best team in the Southern League – and wants his players to prove it during a hectic pre-Christmas schedule.

Dolphins, four points clear at the Premier Division summit, face a run of no fewer than nine games in 21 days, starting with tomorrow’s visit to Cambridge City (3pm).

The sequence will see them in action every Saturday and Tuesday for the next month and includes four away league games on the trot – including a visit to Weymouth in five days.

Poole, who have played 10 home league games compared with only six away, complete the punishing programme with a trip to second-placed Corby on December 20.

Killick said: “Up to now, it has been levelled at us that our position is slightly false because we haven’t played that many away games so we have to make sure we show the right mentality and send out a message that we are there on merit.

“I don’t think we are in a false position but I understand people making the comment. I think we are the best team in the league but we have to make sure we prove that over the coming weeks. It is a significant period and there is no point pretending otherwise.

“Our next two games are away at Cambridge and Weymouth which are going to be very difficult challenges. People would have been looking at our fixtures, waiting for this period and seeing it as a true test for us. I see it that way as well and it is going to be a really close examination of our credentials but I am confident we can come through.

“You aren’t going to win every game in a sequence like this and four points would be a good return from our next two games whichever way round they came. We wouldn’t be happy with anything less and, if we were to win both, it would be a psychological boost and all the other teams would be a little concerned.”

Discussing the trip to 10th-placed Cambridge – who play at Histon – Killick added: “At the beginning of the season, I thought they would be in and around the top two or three but they have had a very difficult start. They came from 2-0 down to draw at Dorchester last week so that would have given them a bit of confidence.”

Killick is likely to be without the services of injured duo Carl Preston (groin) and Will Spetch (knee) in the lead up to Christmas but would like to extend winger Jack Maloney’s loan from Portsmouth.

He said: “We will probably look to do something if it suits Portsmouth and Jack. I have a feeling we are going to be without Carl for a while so I think it would be sensible for us to try to keep him for a bit longer.”

Killick, who made eight changes for the Southern League Cup win at AFC Totton in midweek, is likely to name the majority of the team which beat Biggleswade in the FA Trophy six days ago, although Marvin Brooks is available after serving a one-match ban last Saturday.

Dolphins: (from) Hutchings, Lindsay, Whisken, Walker, Pettefer, Burbidge, Devlin, Maloney, Jermyn, Martin, Roberts, Tallack, Gillespie, Davis, Lowes, Brooks, Manley.