TAFFY Richardson will play his usual way for Poole Town at Whitley Bay despite coming under attack for allegedly getting away with a “forearm chop” in their FA Vase last four clash at Tatnam.

Evening Chronicle reporter Lee Ryder wrote the midfield enforcer “somehow got away with an early forearm chop on Gareth Williams that required lengthy treatment” during Dolphins’ 2-1 home defeat.

Ryder added Richardson “will have his work cut out to dish out the rough stuff away from his own manor” in the second leg at Hillheads tomorrow (3pm).

But, referring to the first-half collision, defiant 44-year-old Richardson said: “Basically, the ref is much closer than a reporter to the incident.

“And the ref said to me afterwards ‘you have to lift your arms to jump’ and there was nothing in it. He was five yards away and didn’t even think it was a booking.

“We went up for a cross and I tried to get in front of their player (Williams) but couldn’t.

“I stretched to get my head on the ball and unintentionally caught him with my arm when he was off balance.

“There was no reaction from their players and management, and the lad didn’t complain to me either, so I don’t know where the reporter has got that from.

“If there had been a reaction from their players, I would have thought more about it, but they knew I was going for the ball.

“As for the bit about whether I’ll play the same way up there, of course I will.

“If they want to try to upset me, that’s brilliant for me.

“I don’t change the way I play, whether it’s home or away. It’s just a case of him being worried about us.”

Ryder also described Poole’s first-leg tactics as “giving it the Stoke City treatment in an attempt to push their way past the Seahorses.”

Richardson, who hails from north-east England but has lived in Dorset for two decades, added: “Whitley’s boss (Ian Chandler) has been a Wembley Vase winner as a player and a manager so knows his stuff.

“If those comments had come from him or his players, we would have respected it, but their manager just said they got out of jail.

“The reporter’s likening of our Tatnam ground to ‘an old school field’ is also disrespectful to all the hard work a lot of people at our club have put into it.

“Not only that, it’s disrespectful to all non-league clubs up and down the country.

“It’s not going to be easy for us to come out on top overall tomorrow, but there have been bigger shocks than Poole overturning a one-goal deficit.”

Dolphins boss Tom Killick, who has named an unchanged squad, hopes about 200 to 300 of their fans will travel to Tyneside, some even flying there.

• Match odds from Dorset bookmakers Jem Racing: Whitley Bay 4-5, Poole Town 5-2, Draw 13-5.

First goalscorer odds: Lee Kerr 3-1 (Whitley Bay), Paul Chow (Whitley Bay) 4-1, Steve Smith 9-2, Dan Cann 5-1, Carl Preston 8-1, Dave Sturgess 9-1, Micky Hubbard 9-1, Lamin Dibba 10-1, Taffy Richardson 16-1, Michael Walker 16-1, Marcus Browning 25-1, No goalscorer 10-1.

These odds are available at Jem's betting lounges in Ashley Road, Parkstone, Wimborne Road, Kinson and Ringwood Road, Oakdale.