JUBILANT boss Tom Killick hailed returning striker Richard Gillespie’s last-gasp wonderstrike as Poole Town emerged from a war of attrition with a 1-0 win over Dunstable.

Gillespie, fit enough only for a place on the bench, lit up a dreary, rain-soaked clash by cutting inside his marker before bending a beauty into the top far corner of the net with just a minute to play at Tatnam last night.

The success saw Dolphins establish a three-point lead at the Southern League summit but Killick was quick to acknowledge his side had not had it all their own way.

“I thought they were probably the best team we have played this season, particularly at home,” said the Poole boss.

“To give us the problems they did showed the quality they have. I am a bit surprised at their dip in form of late because they looked a really powerful, high-quality side.

“It was always going to be a closely-fought affair and they had chances but when you look back at it, we created the stand-out opportunities and based on the fact they fell to us, I felt we deserved to win.”

Killick continued: “I was a bit mindful going into the latter stages of the game. We have been talking since Saturday about not being too gung-ho when we have some sort of result late on.

“You have to strike that balance between pushing to win the game and leaving yourselves too exposed.

“But when you are at home you have to do that little bit extra to get the result and it was an amazing effort from Gilly.

“That is why he is the player he is. He can score those but you can also rely on him to put away the tap-ins. His return is a real boost for everyone.”

Dolphins: Hutchings, Tallack (Jermyn, h-t), Martin, Whisken, Walker (Davis, 85), Pettefer, Burbidge, Devlin, Roberts, Brooks, Maloney (Gillespie, 69). Unused subs: Munday, Manley (g/k).