BOSS Tom Killick lamented wastefulness in front of goal despite seeing Poole Town beat Southern Premier League title rivals Leamington 1-0 at Tatnam yesterday, reports Jack Amey.

Marvin Brooks’s first-half header proved to be the decider as Poole moved eight points clear at the summit in a game which saw the visitors finish with nine men.

Jack Edwards was sent off for two yellow card offences in the first half before Jamie Hood received a straight red for deliberate handball.

However, Steve Devlin saw his penalty saved, one of a host of presentable chances which went begging.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “I thought the performance was very good. A combination of very good defending from Leamington, good goalkeeping from their ‘keeper and a slight wastefulness from us just made the game stay in doubt right until the end.

“That was the only disappointment for us, that it should not have been the case. But sometimes you have to look at it and say we played one of our nearest rivals and won the game.

“There were other results elsewhere where points were dropped. So, once again, you just have to look at it as a good day for us and a good performance from the players.”

The Dolphins were on top throughout the first half without creating too many chances, with new loan signing Lee Wort coming close on two occasions as well as midfielder Devlin.

It was a tighter affair in the second half but Wort and Luke Roberts both went close for the Dolphins but could not find a way through.

Killick added: “I thought Lee (Wort) was really good and the role suited him. I thought he was powerful and aggressive and occupied defenders.

“He showed some good touches and, on another day, he could have scored a couple of goals. But I feel he gave a cutting threat and a cutting edge and I think he’ll be a big player for us in the coming weeks.”

Speaking about the two red cards shown to the visitors, Killick said: “I thought the first one was fairly inevitable because it was a clear second yellow card.

“The second one, I did not have a clear view of it, but it looked a little bit harsh. I thought we had a stonewall penalty when Lee Wort was wrestled to the ground and it wasn’t given.

“I felt that was possibly why that penalty was given. I feel the player was probably a little bit unfortunate anyway to have a penalty given against him.”

Meanwhile, Killick delivered positive news on Richard Gillespie and Jamie Gleeson.

Killick said: “We have had some false dawns with Richard but he pretty much did a full warm-up with no reaction so we are tentatively hoping he’ll be in the squad on Saturday and the same applies for Jamie Gleeson.”

Dolphins: Hutchings, Tallack, Dickson, Spetch, Whisken, Pettefer, Burbidge, Wort, Brooks, Roberts. Unused subs: Connell, Holmes, Richardson, Davis, Rees (g/k).