TOM Killick insists Tuesday night's cup defeat to Wimborne "won't affect us" as his table-topping Poole side return to league action on Saturday.

A much-changed Dolphins side were beaten 4-2 at Black Gold Stadium in midweek in the Southern League Challenge Cup with their goals coming from youngsters Jake Cope and Jason Dyer.

But the biggest blot on the evening came deep into stoppage time when Sam Jackson was shown a straight red card for a heavy challenge, which will now see the defender banned for three matches.

Poole do welcome back Josh Carmichael from suspension for Saturday's Southern League South home clash with seventh-placed Harrow Borough, while Luke Holmes is also set to be involved having joined the club this week.

Boss Killick told Dolphins TV: "It's disappointing for Sam Jackson, I'm really disappointed for him. But it won't affect the team's morale.

"The game on Tuesday was an absolute insignificance in terms of the result. The fact that we lost we're not bothered about at all, so that won't affect us in terms of Saturday.

"You've probably got two or three players that started the game on Tuesday that will start on Saturday, so it's just a completely different side.

"Tuesday was just an exercise to give young players an opportunity, we did that and it's just a shame at the end that it's become another farcical decision that we have to pay the penalty for, but there you go."

Despite having won the Southern League Cup back in 2015, Killick admits he was pleased to be out of the competition this time around.

He said: "I think so because of what is happening with referees. It's another game where we're not at the mercy of ridiculous incompetence which leads to us being without players so from that point of view, I think it's hugely positive that we're out of the competition.

"It's cost us a player for three matches. Based on what I saw on Tuesday in terms of officiating again, I'm absolutely overjoyed to have lost really."

He added: "Unfortunately the whole exercise proved a complete waste of time and a completely negative experience because of the sending off in the last minute of the game.

"To sort of comprehend that decision is just beyond me when it was just a robust tackle where he's come through and won the ball.

"If we had it videoed we get it overturned. We haven't got it videoed so that's what we have to deal with."