OLLIE Dennett struck again to earn Poole a point at Weston-super-Mare in a clash where both sides ended with 10 men at Optima Stadium.

Greg Tindle had given the hosts an early lead, but the contest swung when Scott Laird was shown a straight red card on 34 minutes after flying in on Adam Grange.

Dennett quickly made the extra man count, but Dolphins had to settle for a 1-1 draw and also saw Josh Carmichael given his marching orders deep into second-half stoppage time.

Just one point separated the sides going into the weekend, but Weston-super-Mare dominated the early stages with Ben Whitehead and Isaac Pearce both going close.

They duly broke the deadlock through captain Tindle, volleying in after Whitehead had flicked on Laird's cross.

But Poole got a lifeline when Laird, who had already been booked, caught Grange on the follow-through and was dismissed, with injured Dolphins man Grange stretchered out of the contest.

He was replaced by debutant Flavio Tavares, who made an immediate impact to tee up Harry Baker, who in turn laid it off for Dennett to equalise before the break, notching his fourth goal of the campaign.

Dolphins pushed hard for maximum points in the second half with Jack Dickson going closest, denied by goalkeeper Luke Purnell as the spoils were shared.

The numbers were levelled up at 10 apiece in the seventh minute of stoppage time when Carmichael brought down a marauding Connor Davies, with the referee brandishing a 10th card of the afternoon.

Poole host Wimborne tomorrow (3pm).

Dolphins: Cairney, Dickson, Spetch, Whisken, Leslie-Smith (Cope, 85), Grange (Tavares, 40), Carmichael, Moore, Brooks, Dennett, Baker (Smeeton, 74).

Unused subs: Phillips, Jackson.

Attendance: 579