YOU could hardly blame Darren Chitty for waking up in cold sweats at the prospect of travelling to Poole Town.

The Frome keeper arrived at Tatnam on the back of shipping 14 goals in his previous three visits and from the outset it was clear that record was not about to improve.

Poole ripped into their struggling visitors from minute one en route to a 5-0 triumph and had it not been for Chitty’s heroics, they could feasibly have doubled their tally.

There were early signs of what was to come when Will Spetch had a header cleared off the line at the near post by Frome's Ben Worlock within two minutes.

Luke Roberts then glided through a couple of half-hearted challenges only to be foiled by Chitty but the opener duly arrived seconds later when Richard Gillespie picked up possession and jinked inside before stroking to the custodian's right.

The onslaught continued with Roberts teeing up Gillespie for a one-on-one on the break but Chitty spread himself well and got a vital touch with his foot to deflect the striker's low effort past the far post.

Worlock produced another goal-saving clearance from Marvin Brooks’s thumping header and then helped Chitty deny Gillespie an opportunity to shoot on the rebound.

Poole could have wrapped up the game inside the opening 10 minutes but it was Frome who fired a warning shot of their own when Joe Tomelty spurned a presentable opening.

Another swift break after 22 minutes almost caught out the home side with Ricky Hulbert bringing a full-stretch save out of Nick Hutchings with a curling effort that was destined for the far top corner.

The Dolphins, however, remained in control and doubled their lead from the penalty spot with 26 minutes played.

A deep cross found Brooks to nod into the danger zone for Gillespie who was hauled down by Steve Hulbert right in front of goal. Steve Devlin slammed home emphatically from 12 yards.

And when Gillespie flicked Michael Walker’s raking ball into the path of Brooks’s lung-busting run, the exposed keeper was picking the ball out of his net for a third time with a little more than half an hour on the clock.

Poole continued to pour forward with Brooks having a vicious drive charged down before the irrepressible Gillespie forced a low save from Chitty on the rebound.

The second half was flat by comparison but Dolphins youngster Jack Dickson, a half-time substitute, was bright and involved in a move started and almost finished by star man Gillespie, whose 18-yard drive whistled just over the bar on 55 minutes.

It took an own goal with nine minutes to play for Poole to finally boost their return when the unfortunate Worlock flicked in Devlin’s delicious free-kick from the right corner.

That appeared to reinvigorate the home side’s appetite for goals with substitute Alan Connell’s powerful cross converted by Gillespie’s downward header.

Just the 19 in four for Chitty, then, so he can take solace in bettering someone from higher up football's food chain.

West Ham keeper Darren Randolph shipped his 20th goal in four appearances against Cherries, including his time with Birmingham, nine days ago.

There’s always someone worse off than yourself...

Dolphins: Hutchings, Tallack, Spetch (Connell, 63), Walker, Whisken, Pettefer, Roberts (Dickson, h-t), Devlin, Gillespie, Brooks, Holmes (Davidson, 68). Unused subs: Gleeson, Collins (g/k).