POOLE Town ended an 11-year Dorset Senior Cup drought to keep their hopes of a dream double alive at the Wessex Stadium last night.

In front of a bumper crowd, Tom Killick’s charges dominated Dorchester from start to finish – despite needing extra-time to see off the Blue Square South strugglers.

Charlie Austin’s strike after 92 minutes was swiftly followed by a stunning lob from substitute striker Steve Smith as Dolphins’ hard work and endeavour was rewarded.

And with Christchurch all but ending VT FC’s Wessex League title hopes at Hurn Bridge last night, Killick’s troops now only need a point against the Boatmen on Saturday to add a second piece of silverware to the Tatnam trophy cabinet.

Lamin Dibba was passed fit for Killick’s men despite sustaining an ankle injury during Dolphins’ 3-0 win over Moneyfields on Saturday, while Andy Culliford came into the starting line-up in place of Floyd Hamadou who was ineligible.

Dolphins had the best of the early exchanges, with Austin’s header ruled out for offside following good work from both Taffy Richardson and Culliford on the left flank.

Austin’s weak strike after five minutes was easily gathered by Magpies keeper Regan Coward, while Culliford’s bullet header moments later was blocked by last line of defence Gary Bowles.

Austin then had the ball in the net again two minutes later, but his close-range effort was again chalked off for offside.

It took Magpies 10 minutes to register their first attempt, with Tom Clarke’s left-foot strike fizzing well wide of Jason Harvell’s post, but it was far from a sign of things to come as Killick’s charges continued to dominate from one to 11.

Culliford’s left-foot effort after 25 minutes crashed back off the post following Richardson’s inventive flick-on as Dolphins continued to press, before Stuart Brown’s header was tipped over by Coward with five minutes of the first half remaining.

Jamie Gleeson’s right-foot drive five minutes after the restart flew wide as O’Brien’s men finally began to test their Wessex League opponents, before Harvell beat away Nick Crittenden’s curling free kick just before the hour.

Magpies were then reduced to 10 men when captain Kevin Hill was given his marching orders with 20 minutes remaining, but still Dolphins could not find the breakthrough.

With Dibba and Luke Whitley dominating Magpies’ makeshift strike force, though, a late winner for O’Brien’s troops never looked particularly likely.

Killick introduced striker Smith with seven minutes left on the clock and the former Blandford United youngster forced Coward into action straight away, the Magpies keeper tipping his teasing strike over the bar at full stretch.

Then, deep in second-half stoppage time, Micky Hubbard’s 25-yard free kick was comfortably gathered by Coward, before Dolphins deservedly took the lead two minutes into the first period of extra time when Austin coolly dispatched Hubbard’s pin-point pass beyond Coward.

And things got even better for Killick’s men when Smith’s deft lob sailed over Coward for Dolphins’ second seven minutes later.

Dorchester Town (3-5-2): Coward; Bowles (Crittenden, 31), Watts, Smeeton; Gleeson, Hill, Mitchell, Jermyn, Kellaway (Nicholson, 88); Clarke, Reeve (Critchel, 102). Unused subs: Taylor, Johnson.

Poole Town (4-4-2): Harvell; Poore, Dibba, Whitley, Browne; Richardson (Skelton, 100), Gill, Hubbard, Culliford; Brown (Smith, 83), Austin (Bailey-Pearce, 110).

Unused subs: Trembath, Tong.