POOLE Town chief Tom Killick is bracing himself for another Bemerton battle and admits the bitter Wessex League rivals share a feisty relationship.

Dolphins host their Premier Division foes tomorrow on the back of a series of heated clashes in recent seasons.

There was bad blood between the sides during a stormy confrontation in February 2009, when Poole winger Carl Preston was on the receiving end of some rough treatment.

Bemerton were then angered at a ‘goal’ that was not awarded in a later meeting, before getting revenge on the reigning champions in last season’s Wessex League Cup final.

Killick expects their latest showdown at Tatnam (3pm) to be another physical one.

The Poole manager told the Echo: “Whenever we play them, it does seem to be a little bit feisty.

“The players seem to have developed that mutually over the past three or four years. It has always been a very physical match and I don’t expect it to be any different tomorrow.

“It is fair to say we have been a little bit upset with a couple of incidents that have happened in recent clashes with them.”

But the Dolphins boss believes Bemerton possess some quality players.

He said: “They have developed into one of the best sides in the league. They have quite a lot of young players and some very good ones like Jack Slade and Joe Sanger, who are two of the best young players in the league.

“They seem to have a good spirit and it is always a difficult game.”

Killick, meanwhile, is urging his side to avoid an FA Vase hangover and focus fully on their bid to win the league and gain promotion, having missed out for two consecutive seasons due to ground-grading issues.

He added: “However much of an experience the Vase is and could be, it does not affect the standard of football we will play at next season.

“We are desperate to try to achieve promotion and you only get that by winning the league.

“From that point of view, we can’t lose sight of the fact the league is the be-all and end-all. The Vase is just a really lovely, exciting side issue.”

Killick has a goalkeeping problem to solve ahead of the weekend and will move for a stand-in as number one stopper Nic Jones is unavailable.

Striker Tom Jeffes, who was cup tied for last weekend’s Vase win over Spennymoor, could return despite a hamstring problem.

But Kevin Gill is suspended and long-term injury victim Russell Cook will play for the reserves as he continues his recovery from ankle surgery.

Dolphins: (from) Seabright, Poore, Walk-er, Dibba, McCormick, Smith, Hubbard, Sturgess, Skelton, Roberts, Richardson, Browning, Preston, Cann, Spetch, Diane.