POOLE Town manager Tom Killick has warned his players that they must hit the heights in the next two months – or risk losing their chance of back-to-back promotions.

Killick believes Dolphins need to put themselves in striking distance of the play-off places going into 2012 if they are to be in the mix come the business end of the season.

Wessex League champions last term, Poole made a promising start to their first season back in the Southern League.

But due to their recent cup exploits, the Dorset outfit have slipped six points adrift of the play-off pack after not playing a Division One South & West fixture since September 24.

Despite having games in hand on the entire division, Killick is keen to see Poole waste no time when they host North Leigh tomorrow (3pm).

Killick told the Daily Echo: “We haven’t played a league game for what seems like forever. In that time, the league table has changed to our detriment.

“We desperately need to get back to league games and get some points because I want us to try to establish ourselves in the top half.

“It is not going to be easy but if we can establish ourselves in the top half and if you are in that position come the new year, then the play-offs become a target.

“It is crucial between now and the new year to pick up the points that will get us in that area.

“If we can get to that stage of the season, I would be confident that we might be able to push on.

“But if we fall away between now and the new year, it would probably be a little bit too much for us.”

Sixth-placed North Leigh are likely to pose problems when two of the division’s goal-hungry teams meet at Tatnam. The Oxfordshire outfit lead the scoring charts with 29 this term, their league games averaging almost four goals. Dolphins are also no strangers to entertainment as their nine matches have resulted in no fewer than 41 goals.

Following Tuesday’s stormy FA Trophy replay loss at Chippenham, Killick is hoping to welcome back Adam Costello, Aaron Skelton, Marvin Brooks and Taffy Richardson. But Lewis Clarke is suspended and Glenn Howes (hamstring) and Sam Clarke (glandular fever) look set to miss out.

Dolphins: (from) Hutchings, Gill, Walker, Dibba, Spetch, Preston, Hubbard, Cann, Joyce, Best, Smith, Fisk, Richards, Costello, Skelton, Richardson, Brooks, Jones (g/k).

• Wimborne Town boss Steve Cuss is set to give a debut to Ryan Wignall at Tiverton Town after the former Liverpool trainee received international clearance.

An FA Youth Cup winner during his time at Anfield, the 21-year-old had been playing in Belgium prior to joining Magpies. Suspended Jamie Davidson serves the first game of a three-match ban.

Magpies: (from) Harvell, Arnold, Dear, Cole, Strugnell, Jamison, Webb, Magookin, Cream, Wignall, Parsons, Jeffes, Hunt, Lynch, Kemble, Ackerman.