JUBILANT boss Carl Poore saluted his Verwood Town players after they had completed a memorable hat-trick by lowering the colours of high-flying Follands yesterday.

Victory over the Planemakers followed wins over Christchurch and Blackfield & Langley as the Potters forged further clear of the Sydenhams Wessex Premier drop zone.

Verwood stunned fifth-placed Follands by easing into a 3-0 half-time lead thanks to goals from youngsters Jordan Fisk and Dan Munday and experienced campaigner Matt Groves.

Fisk then added his second and the visitors’ fourth after the hosts had reduced the arrears before Josh Buck made it 5-2 to snuff out any hopes of a comeback following a second for Follands.

And although Verwood conceded again late on, nothing was going to take the gloss off another excellent performance and result for Poore.

He told the Daily Echo: “I was absolutely delighted. The lads are performing very well at the moment. Team spirit is good and they are putting everything into games and getting their just rewards.

“Beating Blackfield & Langley and Follands, two teams who are pushing for title, have shown what we are capable of. In the past, we have suffered against the teams near the top because we have done okay but not got positive results. We showed great character and dominated the game.”

Fisk, a summer recruit from Dorset Senior League Sturminster Marshall, gave Potters the ideal start when he opened the scoring after just 42 seconds.

“He was superb,” added Poore. “We have played him wide right in the past four or five games and he has caused havoc to defenders.

“But it would be unfair to single out one player because it was an excellent team effort. The lads have started believing in themselves. We have had games which we have chucked away after taking the lead. But once we get a lead now, we are defending it and that belief is making a big difference.”

Victory, Verwood’s fourth in their past five league games, saw them climb eight points clear of the bottom two and also avenged a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Follands at Potterne Park in August.

Potters: Lynch, Evans, Buck, Donachy, Kelly, Gajic, Brimson (Foster, 85), Whelan, Fisk, Groves (Rutten, 85), Munday.

  • Christchurch’s Hurn Bridge clash against Whitchurch and Poppies’ visit to Totton & Eling were both postponed.

Meanwhile, Fareham followed up their midweek hammering of Christchurch by registering a 2-0 home win over Bemerton to close the gap on Priory to two points. The Creeksiders also have two games in hand on Adie Arnold’s men.