TAFFY Richardson admitted Poole Town had “got what they deserved” in dropping two points at struggling Frome.

The Dolphins assistant boss said his side “weren’t brave enough” after they were pegged back by the hosts in a 1-1 draw in Somerset.

Poole had taken the lead after just four minutes against the Robins.

Defender Will Spetch headed home after Jamie Whisken flicked on Corby Moore’s free-kick.

Chances then fell to Richard Gillespie and Marvin Brooks as Tom Killick’s men sought to extend their lead.

But Dolphins were left to settle for a point in Southern League South after conceding just past the hour mark.

After a shot had been parried by Poole keeper Luke Cairney, Frome’s Kane Simpson was on hand to convert from close range and level for the hosts.

Richardson told the Daily Echo: “We probably only deserved a draw. The game is not all on one half and we didn’t deserve any more than that.

“In the first half we were dominant without being brilliant and never looked in any danger.

“Our keeper didn’t have to do anything but we possibly played within ourselves. We had a couple of chances we could have scored and should have probably gone two or three up.

“It was one of those games where Tom, Micky (Hubbard) and myself knew what was going to happen.

"We said that with 20 minutes to go they were probably going to put the ball forward quickly and put big lads up there.

“But they did it at half-time. They brought the big lads on and went a bit more direct – we didn’t do what we were supposed to have done.

“It was so frustrating, you could see it coming. I don’t want to criticise our lads because they are such a good bunch.

“But you have to be braver to do the right thing, whatever the score. If you are winning 1-0 you still have to be brave to retain the ball and do what you would normally do.

“We probably weren’t brave enough on the day. If we had been brave enough to do the right thing we would have seen the game out and managed the game.

“Because we weren’t brave enough, we got what we deserved and dropped two points.”

The draw left Dolphins 10th in the division, five points adrift of the top five.

“Nobody is dominating at the moment and we have games in hand,” said the Poole assistant.

“If we stop doing it (dropping points) against the so-called teams you should beat, then we will be up there.

“If we don’t, we will be scrapping for one of the lower play-off places.”

Dolphins: Cairney, Alawode-Williams, Leslie-Smith, Spetch, Whisken, Dickson (Scrimshaw, 70), Griffin, Moore, Gillespie (Pettefer, 67), Brooks, House. Unused subs: Grange, Smeeton, Bedford.