TOM Killick admitted he would have been “grateful” for a replay before Corby Moore’s late strike secured victory for Poole Town against Didcot Town in the FA Cup first qualifying round.

Following a scrappy encounter at Loop Meadow, boss Killick described as “one of the worst pitches I have seen at this level” the playing surface in Oxfordshire.

Dolphins left it until the 11th hour to advance in the competition, with the contest glued in a stalemate until Moore netted in the third minute of second-half stoppage time.

Killick had feared the worst as he watched his side fail to break the deadlock for long periods.

He told the Daily Echo: “The first thing we noticed as soon as we got there was the quality of the pitch.

“I do not mean to be over dramatic but it was one of the worst pitches I have seen at this level.

“Near the end I thought we were going to succumb to a late sucker punch.

“We were putting so much pressure on their goal that it felt like we were going to be hit on the break.

“I was going to be grateful for a replay – the chance to play them at home where we can pass it around and play our normal game.

“In the end we got the goal our performance deserved, without the stress of another game.”

Dolphins made one change from the win at Swindon Supermarine, with Sam Jackson replacing club captain Jamie Whisken.

A tepid first half saw Poole generate a few half chances but nothing really threatened the hosts. With the pitch rough all over, both sides struggled to retain possession and piece together attacking moves.

This pattern stretched into the second half, where again, despite Dolphins enjoying the lion’s share of the chances, the game remained goalless until the latter stages.

Moore popped up in the penalty area in the 93rd minute to blast home the winner for a second game in a row.

Killick has never reached the first round of the FA Cup in his long reign in charge of the Tatnam outfit. However, he refused to get carried away with the romance of the cup just yet after booking a place in the second qualifying round.

“I’m not going to get swept into the idea of a long cup run,” said Killick. “I’m not even thinking about the next one until after the draw and my opinion might change depending on the draw.

“I’ve been here for more than a decade without reaching the first round but for the club it’s mainly about the money a few wins can bring in. That’s my main focus at the moment – filling the club’s coffers a bit before we start getting ahead of ourselves.”

Dolphins remain in cup action on Tuesday when they host Dorset rivals Wimborne (7.45pm) for the second time this season in the Southern League Challenge Cup.

Killick is expected to favour a rotated side to ease fixture congestion and manage game time for players yet to feature heavily.

Dolphins: Cairney, Dickson, Leslie-Smith, Spetch, Jackson, Bedford, Smeeton, Moore, Baker (Cope, 67), Brooks, Dennett. Unused subs: Dyer, Gillespie, Hubbard, Phillips (g/k).