TOM Killick hailed his team’s desire as Poole Town came from behind against Wealdstone and put themselves back in contention to beat the National South drop.

A second-half penalty converted by Steve Devlin brought Dolphins level against the play-off chasing Stones before Warren Bentley tucked home the winner to earn a priceless 2-1 triumph.

Victory, coupled with defeats for fellow relegation candidates Concord Rangers and Hungerford Town means Dolphins are five points from safety with four games remaining – they had started the day eight adrift.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “We lived to fight another day and that was the important thing. Had things gone badly that could have almost been it. We knew what was on the line and I thought the players were very good.

“They showed in their performance what it meant in terms of preserving the club’s status and what it meant in terms of looking after themselves.

“We had to get a positive result and the icing on the cake was both results in terms of Hungerford and Concord.

“People have to understand it’s still an outside chance but the big thing is you can see what it means to the players.”

Dolphins, who recalled Jake Smeeton, Will Spetch and James Constable to their starting XI, fell behind after 15 minutes at Black Gold Stadium.

Wealdstone full-back Ryan Sellers found space on the left flank. His driven ball across goal across goal missed everyone and nestled in the far corner.

But Dolphins rallied following the interval and gave themselves a lifeline.

Constable’s clever turn inside the box outfoxed defender Sellers, who clearly brought down the experienced frontman. Up stepped midfielder Devlin, who held his nerve to convert from 12 yards and put Poole level.

And Killick’s men ensured their chances of survival increased when Bentley kept his cool four minutes later. He stroked under Stones’ goalkeeper Jonathan North to wrap up victory after a pin-point cross from substitute Ollie Balmer.

Killick added: “We conceded another terrible goal and you just thought ‘here we go again’ because that had been the story of our season, certainly at home.

“In the second half we weren’t amazing in terms of fluent football but we had spirit and determination. The thing which pleased me most of all was the desperation the players showed to stay in the league in how they defended during the dying embers of the game.

“We will fight on and we want to try to take this to the last game of the season.”

Poole are set to host Hampton & Richmond Borough on Tuesday (7.45pm).

Dolphins: Hutchings, Lindsay, Smeeton, Spetch (Balmer, 55), Whisken, Pettefer, Alawode-Williams, Devlin, Constable, Moore (Walker, 62), Bentley. Subs not used: Gillespie, Leslie-Smith, Rees (g/k).