BOSS Tom Killick insists Jacob Jagger Cane can have a major impact on Poole Town’s title tilt – because he feels no promotion pressure.

Killick has struck a deal with Cane’s parent club Exeter City to retain the services of the loan star until the end of the Southern League season.

Initially drafted in for a month, the attacking midfielder has impressed Killick and has netted one goal in his six Dolphins appearances.

Manager Killick has been pleasantly surprised by the 18-year-old’s ability to deal with the physicality of life in Division One South and West.

And he believes the fact that Poole’s status next season has no direct bearing on Cane’s career means that the teenager is playing with a freedom that others in the promotion-chasing team are unable to.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s home clash with Tiverton Town (3pm), Killick told the Daily Echo: “The biggest thing that has impressed me is Jacob’s ability to cope with the physical side of the game.

“As a midfield player who has been given a two-year contract with a professional club when most of his peers get one year, you would expect him to be good technically and that that would have a big influence on our team.

“But, sometimes, you worry about the physicality with the younger players. Luckily for us, Jacob has got the technical ability and also a real stomach for the physical side of it and the strength to cope with that.

“The other thing is that all my players are weighed down with the burden of trying to get promoted. Everyone is under a bit of pressure.

“But Jacob has not got any of that. He has just come in to play football and he has a real freedom and relaxed attitude in terms of being on the ball.

“He wants us to do well but he is here to play games and what happens to us in terms of promotion won’t directly affect him next season.”

Leaders Poole are hot favourites to win the title and gain automatic promotion to the Southern Premier. Second-placed Hungerford Town are five points behind but have played three more matches than Dolphins.

Swindon Supermarine, viewed as the most likely challengers, are 11 points adrift of the Dorset outfit with a game in hand, plus home and away fixtures against Killick’s men during the run-in.

Experienced duo Taffy Richardson and Lamin Dibba return to the Poole squad to face Tiverton.

Dolphins: (from) Hutchings, Clarke, Walker, Spetch, Emmerson, Kelly, Preston, Brooks, Cane, Devlin, Byerley, Charles, Burbidge, Cann, Carter, Richardson, Dibba, T Brown.