TOM Killick bemoaned the poor weather conditions that had scuppered Poole Town's efforts to build a home fortress.

The Dolphins boss is due to watch his team take on Chesham United in Southern League South on Saturday (3pm).

If the game beats the predicted wet weather, it will be the first league action at Black Gold Stadium since the 1-0 win over Taunton on October 13.

Just five of Poole's 15 league matches this season have taken place at home, some of which were played in difficult conditions.

And Killick admitted he sighed when he discovered the outlook for the scheduled clash with the Generals.

"I had a real groan of disappointment when I saw the weather forecast for Saturday," said Killick.

"It seems that every fixture we play at home this season has been in terrible weather conditions.

"Apart from anything else, it impacts quite significantly on your attendances.

"We are playing some attractive football at the moment and results are beginning to improve.

"We hope that can be reflected in some increased attendances but when you have a fixture where the weather is really bad, assuming it can go ahead, it does really knock you.

"I hope the forecast turns out to change or be wrong. We want to get the game on.

"We lacked a bit of confidence in our home performances earlier in the season. It became a bit of a vicious circle - the more people went on about it, the more difficult it became. We put it behind us and the players feel very confident and relaxed about playing at home.

"We feel we can start getting to a point where it becomes a place where we are very powerful and other teams do not relish visiting. We have to build that process."

Dolphins' scheduled return to league action on home turf comes after an unbeaten run and 11 points from their past five away matches.

Killick hoped to have Cherries loanees Jake Scrimshaw and Brennan Camp available for selection after they helped Alan Connell's side progress in the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday.

Chesham travel to Dorset sitting 20th in the division but high in confidence after winning their past three games.

The Poole boss said it could be the worst possible time to face the Generals.

"If we played Chesham earlier in the season we would have been on every supporter's accumulator list up and down the country for a home win," said Killick.

"Suddenly now they seem to have transformed themselves.

"Things can change quite quickly at this level. You can have a team that is struggling and then they get three new players to change a quarter of the line-up in the blink of an eye.

"I always viewed Chesham as one of the more powerful clubs in the league. Their results earlier in the season took me by surprise.

"I've got no doubt they will be powerful opponents, but we are starting to get stronger ourselves and to a point where we should not fear anyone in this league."

Dolphins: (from) Cairney, Alawode-Williams, Leslie-Smith, Spetch, Whisken, Dickson, Griffin, Moore, Constable, Brooks, Roberts, Gillespie, Bedford, House, Smeeton, Pettefer, Scrimshaw, Camp, Hubbard.