TOM Killick guided Poole Town to within touching distance of the Southern League title – and then immediately phoned his mum to give her the good news.

Luke Burbidge’s classy first-half strike earned Killick’s team a 1-0 win at Stratford on Tuesday, leaving them needing just three points from as many games to be crowned champions.

Poole, who were languishing in the Hampshire League just 12 years ago, would guarantee promotion to National South if they were to beat Dunstable at Tatnam on Saturday.

Under Killick, who has taken charge of more than 600 games, the Dorset club have already won three promotions and four league championships.

Speaking to the Daily Echo at Stratford after he had contacted parents Romilly and Ian, Killick joked: “They get a little stressed about our results so I try to let them know quite quickly. If we lose, I don’t phone them for a while!

“They normally know we have won if the phones goes straight after the game. They have really helped me over the years and always been there.

“They aren’t really football fans but come to our home games. I love seeing them at games and, hopefully, they will be there on Saturday.

“My dad isn’t a big football man but he likes players who are polite and intelligent. He doesn’t really understand who’s good and who isn’t!

“Sometimes, it is really refreshing to hear what he feels about things because it is a totally different view point.”

Burbidge settled the nerves in the Poole camp when he netted with a 20-yard piledriver after 17 minutes, the win putting them six points clear of their nearest pursuers.

Killick added: “There were a lot of nerves, particularly early on. It was an exceptional goal and I didn’t think they threatened us too much after that. We probably looked more likely to get the next goal.

“There was so much desire and commitment from the players to see it through. When we needed to, we showed a tenacity and a collective determination and I was proud of the players for that.”

Skipper Jamie Whisken told the Echo: “At this stage of the season, we don’t really care what games are like as long as we win.

“It probably wasn’t the best for the fans and it wasn’t the best for us to play in. It was a massive win because we are under pressure. The changing room was absolutely buzzing and we just want to get the job done on Saturday now.”

Dolphins: Hutchings, Tallack, Spetch, Lindsay, Whisken, Pettefer, Burbidge (Gleeson, 66), Devlin, Lee (Dickson, 58), Brooks, Roberts. Unused subs: Holgate, Gillespie, Rees (g/k).

  • See tomorrow’s Daily Echo for an in-depth preview of Poole’s showdown with Dunstable.