COMPOSED keeper Nick Hutchings revealed his pre-match penalty routine had helped him convert the winning spot-kick in Poole Town’s FA Trophy shootout victory over Staines Town.

Hutchings picked out the top-left corner in sudden-death to propel Dolphins into the first round and earn the club £4,000 in the process.

Conference South outfit Staines had looked on course to progress in the replay at Tatnam when substitute Romone Rose opened the scoring in the first half of extra-time.

However, sub Charlie Davis scrambled home the leveller in the dying seconds and a Hutchings penalty gave Poole a 5-4 shootout triumph.

And the 29-year-old explained afterwards that goalkeeping coach Robbie Yates had played an unusual role in his memorable success.

Hutchings told the Daily Echo: “I take a penalty against Robbie Yates before every game and I normally score past him, but he’s about 90! That practice definitely helped me because I felt confident I could score and didn’t feel any pressure.

“Being a keeper myself, I know what goalies try and do to get in the heads of the people taking the penalties.

“I knew I had to pick my spot, concentrate on the ball and not on what the keeper was doing, and luckily it went well for me.”

Hutchings, who had never found the net in a senior game before last night, admitted that Davis’s late leveller had given the hosts the psychological edge.

He added: “Charlie Davis popped up to score a vital goal right at the end and when we got into our huddle, the lads said that because we had scored so late, we should win the penalty shootout.

“In the time I’ve been here we have won a lot of games late on or scored late equalisers and credit has to go to Tom Killick and James Woods (manager and assistant) for that.

“They instil belief in us that we can get something from every game and it was a really good feeling to win.”

Poole will face Conference South Maidenhead United at the next stage as they aim to reach the second round for the first time in their history.