BOSS Tom Killick admitted a spate of missed chances cost his Poole Town side a spot in the first round of the FA Trophy.

Dolphins led twice against Isthmian Premier leaders Dorking Wanderers but succumbed to Sami El-Abd’s second-half effort.

Goals from Richard Gillespie and Marvin Brooks had given Poole the advantage either side of Jerry O’Sullivan’s strike, before Dorking pegged the hosts back again when Giuseppe Sole was left unmarked in the box to complete a swift counter just minutes before half-time.

Dolphins struggled after the break and El-Abd poked home Lewis Taylor’s shot to decide the tie.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “We played well in the first half and had been the better side. The thing that ended up costing us was not scoring more goals in that period.

“We had five or six clear chances and only managed to score two. Dorking had not really been in the game. They had two chances and scored them both.

“In the second half they came out improved and our levels dropped. Perhaps a draw might have been a fair result, but they were a good side and played well second half. It was a case of needing to get the second goal before they scored.

“We went in front and then had three or four very good opportunities to get the second goal. We didn’t get it and then let in two soft goals in the first half.

“The second one was particularly galling because it came just before half-time.

“We got ourselves in front early, they equalise with a soft goal, we managed to get ourselves in front again not long before half-time – that was the crucial phase of the game.

“We needed to see it out until half-time and come in ahead, which gives you a big platform for the second half.

“The most frustrating thing for me was conceding the second goal just before half-time and in the manner that we did.”

Killick highlighted the strength of Dorking’s substitutes, including former Havant & Waterlooville marksman Jason Prior, and said this showed the quality of the opposition.

“The hardest thing as a manager is getting the balance between the team being open enough from an attacking perspective but also being solid defensively,” said Killick.

“People will look at the fact we conceded three goals and think we have not got that but Dorking didn’t have many chances, they just took three of them.

“We created a lot more and it shows what happens in both penalty areas defines the game.

“We have changed our formation a little and it can take time to bed in, so we are probably knocking some rough edges off it. We just hope we keep improving.”

Poole missed out on a place in the first round of the competition and £5,000 in prize money.

Dolphins exited the Southern League Challenge Cup last week and now fight on two fronts in Southern Premier and the Dorset Senior Cup.

“The overriding feeling from the FA Cup had been disappointment and frustrating because of the manner and stage we exited,” said Killick. “We had hoped the FA Trophy might soften the blow and give us a new focus in terms of a cup competition but it wasn’t to be.”

Dolphins: Cairney, Alawode-Williams, Leslie-Smith, Spetch, Whisken, Dickson (Grange, 67), Griffin, Moore, Gillespie (House, 62), Brooks, Scrimshaw (Davis, 78). Unused subs: Smeeton, Pettefer.