JAMES Wood believes AFC Totton are the shining example to clubs in Poole Town’s position.

The Dolphins assistant boss was speaking as the Dorset outfit prepare to lock horns with the Stags in the Red Insure Cup second round at Testwood Stadium tonight (7.45pm).

Poole and Totton were Wessex League rivals as recently as 2007-08 – when the latter won the title. Since then, Poole have earned promotion to the Southern League while Totton have gone from strength to strength. They are top of the Southern Premier and have enjoyed a headline-grabbing run to the second round of this season’s FA Cup.

Wood told the Daily Echo: “AFC Totton are the benchmark for a lot of clubs in our position.

“They came out of the Wessex League, are going through the Southern League and are having a great run in the FA Cup. It shows what can be achieved.

“With their FA Cup exploits, I’m not sure how they will treat the game, but it will be very difficult, regardless of which players they select.”

Dolphins will be keen to get back on track following back-to-back defeats in Division One South & West.

Elsewhere, struggling Wimborne Town also face a tough cup clash. The Magpies host Thatcham Town at Cuthbury, with the visitors currently top of Division One South & West and Wimborne just a point off the bottom.

Dolphins: (from) Hutchings, S Clarke, Brooks, Walker, Spetch, Preston, Hubbard, P Smith, Gill, Cann, Joyce, S Smith, Skelton, Richardson, Howes, Jeffes, Cook.

Magpies: (from) Ackerman, Arnold, Cole, Jamison, Peprah-Annan, Wakefield, Davidson, Webb, Kemble, Clowes, Cream, Maybury, Magookin, Cousins, Battison, Wignall, Harvell.

• Manager Simon Browne has defensive worries ahead of Hamworthy United’s trip to Bournemouth Poppies in the Wessex Premier tonight.

Dan Haysom and Sam Lockyer are suspended and Karl Yelland is unavailable for the Victoria Park clash.

Poppies are unchanged following Saturday’s Vase victory.

New Milton Town boss Glenn Burnett will take on his former club when Linnets visit high-flying Romsey Town.

In the Wessex League Cup third round, in-form Christchurch travel to Division One strugglers Tadley Calleva.

Poppies: (from) Frampton, Daysh, Taylor, Crow, Byrne, Crutcher, J Blake, Saadi, Pinder, Ingram, Ewen, Warren, Phillipson-Masters, Hogan, M Blake, Vaughan.

Hammers: (from) Evans, White, Pidgley, Lanahan, Corby, Robinson, Cannie, Burbidge, Hunt, Head, Dominey, Byrom, Currell, Murphy.

Linnets: (from) Rowe, Barge, Curtis, Stuart, Drew, Bailey, Proctor, Holland, Colman, Tanner, Chester, Davies, Donaldson, Baldacchino, Harris, Preston, Morris.

Priory: (from) Kearn, Grace, Legg, Dand, Brian, C Smith, Fairbrother, M Smith, Morgan, Kittle, Griffin, Osborne, Swann, Burt, Crutchley, Roberts, Burden.