MANAGER Tom Killick has lavished rich praise on Nick Hutchings – and also revealed the Poole Town goalkeeper had proved him wrong.

Hutchings has played a pivotal role in Poole’s climb to National South and has been a key figure during their impressive start in the higher division.

The 30-year-old has kept four consecutive clean sheets this season – and six on the bounce at Tatnam including last season – to help Dolphins take the step up in their stride.

Hutchings has featured in three promotions for Poole and was named goalkeeper of the year by readers of The Non-League Paper when they won Division One South & West of the Southern League in 2013.

However, during the early stages of his time with Poole, Killick had doubts Hutchings would be the man to provide the platform for the club’s rapid rise through the pyramid.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “Nick has improved season after season. He is driven to improve and works very hard at his game. He thinks an awful lot about the technical side and also the mental side. Our goalkeeper coach Robbie Yates deserves a lot of credit.

“Nick has been magnificent for us. When he first arrived, I never would have thought he would have been capable of playing at this level.

“But not only is he doing that, he is also proving himself to be one of the top goalkeepers in this league so it has been a brilliant effort from him.”

Former Hamworthy United and Gosport stopper Hutchings was voted man of the match as Poole rose to sixth place in the table following a 1-0 win over Margate six days ago.

Poole’s encouraging start has been based around a solid defensive effort with only leaders Maidenhead having conceded fewer goals.

Killick, who has seen Poole net three goals in their four-match unbeaten run, added: “We are not necessarily the most beautiful team to watch but the players’ hatred for conceding goals has really impressed me. There is real spirit among them.

“People might say we have not been particularly free-scoring this season but the way the players deal with defending as a group has been our strength for a long time.

“We are creating chances, it is just the way things are panning out at the moment. But I have noticed a big difference in the physicality and intensity of the teams we are playing so we are trying to get acclimatised to that. To get the results we have so far is great credit to the players.”

Killick has doubts over the fitness of Lewis Lindsay, Jamie Gleeson and Abdulai Baggie for Poole’s Bank Holiday double-header against Hemel Hempstead and Bath City.

Marvin Brooks will definitely miss tomorrow’s trip to Hemel and the visit of the Romans to Tatnam on Monday (both 3pm).