TOM Killick believes Poole Town’s clashes with Conference South teams this season have “proved” that Dolphins can compete at that level.

Poole played Bath City and Staines twice in the FA Cup and FA Trophy, respectively, losing to the Romans in a replay and defeating Staines on penalties following a replay.

The Southern Premier leaders were beaten by a late goal in the 2-1 defeat at Maidenhead in the Trophy first round on Saturday but boss Killick feels the five games present a compelling argument.

Speaking ahead of Poole’s league meeting with visitors Dunstable tonight (7.45pm), Killick told the Daily Echo: “We’ve played five games against Conference South opposition this season and I think it’s proved to us that we deserve to be in that sort of company. I do feel that’s where the players and the club as a whole deserve to be.

“Having a taste of Conference South in the cup games just makes us more determined to get there. That’s what we’ve aspired to from the first week of the season.

“We’re very upset by the result on Saturday and the scars live with you for a while. You can’t avoid that. But all losing does is fuel our determination as a group to be in that league so we can play against that opposition every week.

“We feel that we can go head-to-head with these teams and be better than them, and we want to be able to do it week in, week out.”

Harrison Gilkes was taken off due to a hamstring injury at the weekend and Killick expects to be without the winger for between two and four weeks.

Luke Burbidge was rested as a precaution but is now back in contention, while Richard Gillespie is unavailable.

Dolphins: Hutchings, Tallack, Martin, Walker, Whisken, Pettefer, Burbidge, Maloney, Devlin, Roberts, Brooks, Jermyn, Davis, Munday, Lowes, Manley.