MANAGER Tom Killick insists he is proud of Poole Town for outperforming Dorset neighbours Weymouth this season – even if their title bid falters.

Dolphins head to the Wessex Stadium tonight (7.45pm) with a bumper 15-point cushion over their rivals ahead of a crunch derby that could make or break the promotion dreams of both clubs.

Defeat would leave Poole needing to beat Corby in the last-day Southern League championship decider at Tatnam but even a draw with the Terras would hand Killick’s men an advantage over the Steelmen.

Anything less than a victory for Weymouth would probably kill off their bid to rescue a play-off place from a campaign that has nosedived after taking a paltry nine points from 13 games.

And despite Poole somewhat relinquishing their stranglehold over Easter, the Dolphins boss is adamant his charges deserve recognition for forging ahead of the Southern League’s big spenders.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “Weymouth have some very good players and would probably accept they have underperformed with the talent and resources at their disposal.

“For them to be out of the play-off positions is a surprise bearing in mind where they were not too long ago but they remain dangerous opponents. You cannot underestimate them in a one-off fixture, even if they haven’t done particularly well against the better sides.

“Their inconsistency cost them and once that happened I felt we could have had things wrapped up by now.

“The fact we haven’t is a disappointment for some people and I do understand that. There is a big part of me that is proud to be where we are while at the same time feeling frustration at it going down to the wire.

“I know people will raise their eyebrows but I do think it is important to look at the season as a whole. You have to say for a club like ours to be two draws from winning the title is a brilliant position to be in.

“The players deserve huge credit because we are significantly higher in the league than the likes of St Neots and Weymouth. That gives me a lot of satisfaction because if you were connected to one of those clubs you would regard it as a disappointing season.

“If the worst happened and we didn’t get promoted, I would still feel the players had accomplished a great deal. People need to realise what is realistic and what represents achievement with the resources available.

“I don’t want that to be taken as a lack of ambition. I wanted to get out of the league on day one and I am desperate to do that now, I just think it is sad when people lose perspective over these things.”

On the match, Killick added: “I am very keen to get the point we need at Weymouth because the Corby match will be a close.

“To be in a position where a draw would be enough could make all the difference, along with the issue of morale and momentum.

“Part of me wishes Weymouth was not so significant because we face a difficult and probably quite physical encounter.

“While Corby have no game, we have to get a result before going again on Saturday. If we didn’t need the point we would inevitably have looked at resting players.”

Dolphins: (from) Hutchings, Tallack, Spetch, Butcher, Whisken, Pettefer, Burbidge, Devlin, Whelan, Roberts, Gillespie, Quigley, Gilkes, Walsh, Lindsay, Lowes.