BOSS Tom Killick believes frontman Luke Roberts is too good for Poole Town and thinks he could follow the Charlie Austin path into the Football League.

Roberts, who signed from AFC Totton in 2014, paved the way for Dolphins’ 2-0 win over National South strugglers Truro City at the Black Gold Stadium on Tuesday.

Deployed by Killick on the left wing, he gave marker Aaron Bentley a torrid time and opened the scoring midway through a Poole-dominated first half.

His strike was added to by Marvin Brooks – his seventh goal in his past eight games – as Poole returned to the play-off places, three points clear of Hungerford.

Earlier, both Roberts and Jamie Whisken had been denied by top-drawer saves from Truro goalkeeper Tom McHale while Luke Burbidge hit the post.

Asked by the Daily Echo how good he felt Roberts was, Killick replied: “He is better than this.

“There are some players you have to spend all your time telling they are not as good as they think and others you have to keep telling are an awful lot better than they think.

“Luke is in the latter category and doesn’t quite realise how good he is. Thankfully for us, nobody else seems to realise either. It just amazes me.

“I watch him perform week in, week out and he can’t do any more than he is. I am desperate not to lose him, other than I like to see people play at the level they deserve to and feel he is an exceptional talent.”

Killick saw striker Austin step from the Wessex League to League One – via a spell with Cherries when a transfer embargo prevented them signing him – when he left Poole for Swindon in 2009.

“I am not going to improve Luke dramatically and I didn’t improve Charlie one per cent,” said Killick.

“He improved when he started training with AFC Bournemouth, having full-time coaching and education together with all the physical and fitness enhancements.

“With the benefit of everything Luke would have if he went full-time, I think you would have an exceptional player on your hands.

“But I have never played professional football or been in the professional game so perhaps I am not the best person to speak to in terms of that.

“But I know this level and have seen an awful lot of non-league players, some of whom have gone on and played in the league. I am very surprised Luke Roberts is not in that bracket.”

Dolphins: Hutchings, Tallack, Moore, Smeeton, Whisken, Pettefer, Burbidge (Cooper, 72), Devlin, Roberts, Brooks (Granger, (h-t), Baggie. Unused subs: Askew, S Richardson, Rees (g/k).