BOSS Tom Killick says he is unconcerned at Poole Town losing the leadership of the Southern Premier League or at being replaced as title favourites.

An impressive run of results from Weymouth – coupled with a blip for Poole – has seen the Terras topple the Dolphins and move four points clear at the summit.

Long-time leaders Poole, who have dropped more points in their past five games than they did in their first 16, are now the bookies’ second favourites behind Weymouth.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “There are so many teams desperate to get out of the league and you always knew that anybody in contention at this stage would throw resources at it.

“We had a brilliant run of results and form and the players did excellently to be where we were. We have had a bit of a hiccup and Weymouth and Corby have had a powerful phase of results.

“But it can quickly change the other way. None of it surprises me and I always knew it would be a close-run thing and that is still the case. It certainly doesn’t bother me that the odds have changed in terms of favouritism because I always felt we would have our work cut out.”

Weymouth climbed above Poole after a revised league table had been published following the expunging of Hereford United’s record. The Dolphins lost one point following a 0-0 draw with the Bulls in October, while the Terras were unaffected as they had not played them.

Killick added: “Although there was a bit of uncertainty, everyone knew the reality of the situation as soon as Hereford went. I had worked out the implications for us and they were quite favourable because we had only played them once and drawn.

“Weymouth and Corby have put together exceptional sequences of results and the table looks a lot more congested at the top than it did a few weeks ago. I always knew that would happen and it wasn’t realistic to think we would walk away with it. We did brilliantly to get ourselves in the position we were and now have to make up a bit of ground.”

Poole host bottom-placed Burnham at Tatnam tonight (7.45pm) with the plight of the visitors compounded by them having had three points deduced for fielding an ineligible player in a win over Frome.

Killick said: “As the teams near the top strengthen to try to get out of the league, those near the bottom have to make a concerted effort to improve to try to stay in it and Dorchester and Frome have both gone out and signed players.

“Results pick up because teams are so desperate not to drop out and Burnham are in that category. People may look at the fixture and think it is a bit of a foregone conclusion but I see it as far from that.

"We dropped points against Dorchester and had a narrow win at Frome on Boxing Day. We seem to be finding it difficult against the teams at the lower end of the league and need to be at our best in every game.”

Dolphins: (from) Hutchings, Lindsay, Martin, Jermyn, Roberts, Munday, Burbidge, Devlin, Quigley, Brooks, Maloney, Pettefer, Tallack, Whisken, Gilkes, Thomas.