TOM Killick said he was “full of admiration” for his Poole Town players after they overcame a number of hurdles to secure a 1-0 victory over 10-man St Albans on Tuesday.

Marvin Brooks’ 68th-minute goal earned Dolphins the win that saw them clamber above their beaten opponents – who inflicted a 4-0 defeat on Poole in the reverse fixture in September – and into the National South play-off spots.

Killick, however, saw his already threadbare resources further depleted by injuries to both his full backs – Shaun Cooper and Jake Smeeton.

Poole safely navigated 10 minutes of stoppage time to seal the three points, just three days after Maidenhead had struck late to deny Killick’s side a headline triumph over the league leaders.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “To see the win through, after what happened on Saturday, showed an awful lot of spirit. Perhaps we didn't play as well as we can but physically we dug really deep.

“We kept a clean sheet and won the game with people missing, so I’m full of admiration for the players.

“We’ve got more about us now than we did when we played St Albans away and that definitely showed.”

Brooks missed an opportunity to open the scoring midway through the first-half, when he slipped after rounding St Albans 'keeper James Russell.

A frantic passage of play then saw Ben Herd slide in to prevent Abdulai Baggie from turning in Luke Burbidge’s right-wing cross, with Brooks’ header from the resultant corner scrambled over by Russell

St Albans centre-half Ben Martin hit the post with a header, before Smeeton’s thundering strike was brilliantly repelled by Russell.

Charlie Walker became the second away player to rattle the woodwork shortly after the break. The decisive goal arrived when Brooks chested off to Baggie, before hitting the return pass left to Luke Roberts.

The substitute’s cut back found Brooks, continuing his run into the box and turning into the far corner.

Herd was dismissed for a wild 75th minute tackle on Baggie, leaving Poole to expertly negotiate the closing stages.

Killick admitted that losing Smeeton, who suffered a deep gash to his leg, and calf strain victim Cooper could force him into a recruitment rethink – after a move for Winchester forward Craig Feeney fell through prior to Tuesday's match.

"I think pressure was possibly brought to bear by Winchester and Craig has decided to stay put," added Killick.

"I respect that decision. I don’t agree with it, it’s not every day you get an opportunity to jump up two leagues.

"But if he’s enjoying his football and he’s happy playing in the Southern League then I’m not going to be critical of that. Each to their own.

"There may be an opportunity to bring in one player... and, with what I’m now missing defensively, priorities have shifted a little bit."

Dolphins: Hutchings; Cooper (Tallack, 38), Spetch, Whisken, Smeeton (Moore,87); Devlin, Pettefer; Burbidge, Wakefield (Roberts, 60), Baggie; Brooks. Unused subs: Askew, Rees (g/k).