BOSS Tom Killick admits Poole Town’s upcoming schedule will prove “testing” given their current injury problems.

In the weekends leading up to Christmas, Dolphins face a number of lengthy away trips, starting with a clash at Hitchin Town tomorrow (3pm).

The Tatnam outfit also take on Verwood Town in the Dorset Senior Cup on Tuesday and face Dunstable Town in the Southern Premier seven days later.

Killick is contending with a number of injuries with Richard Gillespie among those on the treatment table, and the manager is braced for a difficult period ahead.

He told the Daily Echo: “The only downside of beating Staines in the FA Trophy is that the next round against Maidenhead has replaced the only Saturday home game that we had in December.

“Now, ignoring midweek games, we are faced with Hitchin on Saturday, Maidenhead, Corby and then Frome on Boxing Day, so it’s fairly horrendous.

“This is off the back of going to Staines last Saturday and Cambridge the weekend before that.

“There is quite a lot of travelling involved and with the injuries we’ve got, it’s going to be a testing period for us.”

Only Weymouth have managed less league games than Poole this season with Dolphins having tasted success in 14 out of 17 starts.

However, Killick said he was unconcerned by the possibility of a fixture backlog.

He added: “I’m not massively worried at the moment. I know we’ve got games in hand on some teams but there are others such as Weymouth who have played even less.

“I don’t think it’s at a level to be concerned about yet.

“The big thing is going to be the weather. If it is reasonably kind, I don’t think it’s going to be a big issue to get the games in.

“My concern at the moment is more with injuries.”

  • Prior to Poole’s fixture at Hitchin, a march will take place protesting at plans to build a supermarket over the historic Top Field ground.