WILL Spetch rescued a deserved point for Poole Town four minutes from the end of an engaging 1-1 draw at Merthyr.

Dolphins traded numerous well-crafted openings with their hosts at Penydarren Park and eventually cancelled out Keyon Reffell’s 16th-minute header to secure a fourth consecutive Southern League Premier Division draw.

The dropped points will, however, be of concern to the Dorset side on the back of second-placed Chippenham’s 3-0 over Histon, a result that cut to two points Poole's cushion at the summit.

Manager Tom Killick made one enforced change to his starting XI with the unavailable Jack Dickson, taking a weekend exam in his efforts to gain a place at university, replaced by Luke Roberts.

After a tepid start, Marvin Brooks nodded down to Lee Wort who laid off for Roberts to fire off target in Poole’s first foray forward.

Visiting captain Jamie Whisken got himself in a muddle when turned by Kayne McLaggon on the left and cynically upended his opponent with Elliot Scotcher’s fierce inswinging free kick from the channel brushing the corner of Nick Hutchings’s bar.

The Martyrs drew first blood when Poole were overran down the left and Corey Jenkins’s thumped cross was guided home by the head of Reffell.

After the dust settled, the match ebbed and flowed at a frenetic tempo without many clearcut chances until a Burbidge raid down the left was unceremoniously ended.

Burbidge picked himself up to take the free kick and brought about Poole’s chance of the half with Spetch left free in front of goal to head straight at ex-Leyton Orient keeper Glyn Garner, who then denied Wort on the rebound.

In the blink of an eye, Merthyr charged upfield with McLaggon drawing a fine low save from Hutchings.

Ten minutes before half-time, Spetch’s pinged pass found Burbidge on the shoulder of the last defender and despite being held up, found Wort to his right to round Garner, only to have his shot blocked on the line by Gethin Jones.

The irrepressible Jenkins, now switched to the right flank, ripped through the Poole defence six minutes before the break and forced Hutchings into an awkward stop at his near post, while an incisive move led to Spetch clipping the far post with a cross-shot at the end of his own rampaging run before half-time.

The interval seemed to stifle Poole’s momentum and Merthyr could have taken a two-goal lead on 51 minutes when Scotcher’s quick low corner found full-back Adam Davies in space on the corner of the box, only to fire high and wide.

Davies was again afforded too much room to fire in a fizzing cross from the flank which evaded Whisken for McLaggon to fluff his lines at the far post.

Despite rocking, Poole sparked into life and Burbidge walloped the crossbar from 20 yards following a quickly-taken free kick.

A customary quick Merthyr break gave Scotcher another set piece to deliver from deep, which was nodded over by ex-Dolphin Rhys Baggridge at the far post as the ferocious pace continued.

Burbidge cut a frustrated figure as his low angled drive was spilled by Garner with no one on hand, while Roberts had his head in his hands having twisted and turned his way into the box before scuffing wide.

But Merthyr were by no means sitting back and Refell should have converted Scotcher’s delicate cross at the far post, the midfielder's last contribution before being withdrawn through injury, with 21 minutes to play.

Michael Walker was just beaten to the ball by Garner in midair from a tantalising Burbidge free kick as Poole steadily upped the ante and with time ticking away, they finally got their leveller.

Merthyr failed to decisively clear a corner and Spetch calmly emerged from the crowd to nudge home.

The Martyrs almost hit back straight away with Ian Traylor’s direct run ending with a shot that stung the palms of Hutchings, while Poole pushed for a winner in added time but their efforts went unrewarded.

Martyrs: Garner, Davies, Bloom, Wright, Jones, Baggridge, Jenkins (Brown, 82), Scotcher (Bond, 72), McLaggon (Prosser, 74), Reffell, Traylor. Unused subs: Hugh, Morgan.

Booked: Jones, Bond.

Dolphins: Hutchings, Tallack (Lindsay, 57), Spetch, Walker, Whisken, Pettefer, Burbidge, Devlin, Wort (Gillespie, 63), Brooks, Roberts (Connell, 81). Unused sub: Rees (g/k).

Booked: Whisken.

Referee: Simon Knapp (Mangotsfield).

  • Portsmouth loan star Brandon Joseph-Buadi scored on his debut to help Wimborne Town to a 2-0 win Larkhall Athletic in Southern South & West. 

Mark Ford sealed the points in the 90th minute for Simon Browne's men.