BOSS Tom Killick said earning a replay after Poole’s 1-1 draw with Horsham in the FA Cup felt like a “reprieve” as they held out under tough conditions, reports Jack Tanner.

Poole started brightly with experienced striker Richard Gillespie opening the scoring in the second minute.

However, despite a strong start, Dolphins’ dominance faded as the game continued, allowing the hosts to equalise shortly before the break.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, Killick said: “Our best spell of the game probably was the first 25 minutes. We really should have scored three goals in that period, we started strongly which was in a way, in reverse of a lot of our recent games.

“But, we went 1-0 up very early and probably should have scored a couple more. They improved and we deteriorated around the 25-minute mark.

"In the second half, they were probably the better side in terms of opportunities created, we looked a little bit bereft of ideas.

“We didn’t play at all well so to get a result, we feel like we had a bit of a reprieve. We’re grateful for the fact that we will have another opportunity to go through.”

According to Killick, the strong winds and heavy rain restricted the quality of football on show, but believes neither side benefited from the wicked weather conditions.

Killick added: “I don’t think the weather was necessarily an advantage or a disadvantage. It certainly affected the game in terms of its quality and as a spectacle.

"There were a lot of mistakes, the ball was in the air a lot – it was quite difficult conditions for the players. We don’t think it disadvantaged us, but certainly the game was very poor in terms of its quality from start to finish."

The replay at the Black Gold Stadium on Tuesday (7.45pm) will be Dolphins’ second consecutive midweek tie, but Killick is nonplussed about a potential fixture pile-up.

He said: “At this stage, it is perfectly manageable – we haven’t had many midweek games so far this season.

"They seem to hammer you with them for the first month and then it’s not too bad. Last Tuesday we managed to rest most of the players that have been playing regularly, so I’m not too worried about fixture congestion at this stage.

“We’re just focused on winning on Tuesday, not about any potential opponents. I think that when you’re in the fourth qualifying round and you have a replay, the draw’s been made and you know you can play a big, professional club in the first round that can affect how you feel about the replay because the stakes are raised.

"But there is still a game to be won before you can think of the next round, so the draw won’t make much of a difference to us.”

Dolphins: Cairney, Williams, Leslie-Smith, Griffin, Whisken, Pettefer, Bedford, Moore, Gillespie (Devlin, 51), Brooks, Roberts (Dalot, 80). Unused subs: O’Connor, Grange, Mitchell, Balmer, Smeeton.