BOSS Tom Killick was left distraught after Poole Town failed to beat the drop from National South.

Dolphins sealed a 2-0 win over Oxford City on the final day of the season at Black Gold Stadium thanks to second-half strikes from James Constable and Steve Devlin.

But with the survival situation out of their hands, victory proved in vain as relegation rivals Hungerford Town won 1-0 at East Thurrock to send down Poole.

Poole finished 20th on 42 points – a point behind the Crusaders.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “If I was brutally honest, I was always optimistic we would be able to do what we did but I always feared things with Thurrock perhaps weren’t going to go our way.

“I know the impact it has on everyone with the people running the club and the supporters, but I work in very close relationships with the players because I see them three times a week.

“I am so sad because I know that group is good enough and deserve to be in the league.

“That was not where the difficulty was. It was earlier in the season and we just didn’t have a strong enough squad. That is where I feel the players have been let down, not by the club, but by me in terms of not having a strong enough group earlier in the season.”

Knowing that, realistically, a win would be the only result capable of escaping the bottom three, Dolphins were on the front foot for the majority of the opening period.

On 16 minutes, youngster Ollie Balmer brought down a ball from deep and released striker Warren Bentley. He burst into the box and worked City stopper Crag King on the angle.

Bentley then teed up Will Spetch, who saw his fierce volley well saved before news from East Thurrock meant the atmosphere at Black Gold Stadium fell flat.

Nicholas Bignall’s 37th-minute goal at Rookery Hill put Hungerford in the driving seat and Poole were powerless to charge them down.

Killick’s men kept battling, however, and gave themselves every chance of pulling off the great escape.

After the introduction of Brighton loanee Jonah Ayunga for his Dolphins debut, Bentley played in striker Constable who confidently finished to record his second of the season.

And a moment of magic from Devlin ensured the hosts went down fighting. He struck a dipping effort from 35 yards over King and into the corner of the net.

Nevertheless, Poole were forced to see their National South status end after two campaigns with Hungerford holding firm.

“When bad things happen, it’s just time which makes things feel a bit better,” added Killick.

“You hate losing games and we have lost an awful lot. It pushes everyone to the limit because it tests all of the solidarity of the group.

“It pushes relationships and puts strain on them between players, between the players and me and all sorts of relationships between me and other people at the club.

“Without a doubt, it’s the hardest season we have ever had.”

Dolphins: Hutchings, Moore, Smeeton (Williams, 54), Spetch, Whisken, Pettefer, Balmer (Ayunga, 54), Devlin, Constable, Brooks, Bentley. Unused subs: Leslie-Smith, Walker, Rees (g/k).