WHAT a week it has been for Declan Rose – grabbing his first senior goal before signing a new contract with Poole Town that will tie him down until the end of 2022/23 season.

The former Yeovil youngster has quickly established himself both as the first name on the team sheet and as a fan favourite since arriving at the club last summer.

Rose is the only Dolphin to play a part in every game for Poole this season, with the versatile defender receiving plaudits for his composure and commitment at the back.

Despite being associated with solid defending, Rose was also an attacking threat in Poole’s last game with Salisbury.

In the first half Rose showed great dribbling ability to advance into the box, but after doing the hard work, he flashed his shot wide when it seemed easier to score.

Undeterred, the 19-year-old came forward again in the second period, sending a beautiful curling effort into the bottom right corner.

Speaking about his first senior strike, Rose told the Daily Echo: “When I went into the break I was a little bit disappointed that I didn’t put that away.

“Maybe I got a little bit too excited from where I’m not that high up the pitch very often.

“To then, at least, give something back second half, it was good.

“We had to come back after going one down, so it was a good time score.”

Rose had verbally agreed to a new contract before the game, with the deal finalised just in time for Christmas.

“I’ve certainly enjoyed my time here so far,” continued Rose. “I’m happy to give more for the club really.

“When you’ve got that, there’s no need to look elsewhere, especially when it’s other teams in your league. I’m happy here.”

The contract extension for Rose is the second deal handed out to Poole’s key players, with top goalscorer Tony Lee signing his new deal earlier this week. The Daily Echo understands there are more extensions in the pipeline.

When asked how important it was for Poole to secure key players, manager Tom Killick stated: “There’s always a bigger picture, isn’t there? Managers and football teams have to live in the moment, it’s all about results and here and now, we all know that.

“But, you can’t take your eyes off the ball in terms of the longer term picture.

“We’ve got players that we value, and lets not forget we’ve got a team down the road who are throwing chucking money at it, probably in a position to offer double the wages we’re offering.

“We just need to make sure that people that we value are tied down, so that’s what we’re looking to do.”