BIG-game experience could prove vital when Poole do battle with Corby tomorrow – and Carl Pettefer has plenty.

The midfielder has been a mainstay as the Dolphins have maintained a title challenge in only their second season at the Southern League’s top table.

Pettefer joined Poole from AFC Totton following their promotion from Division One South & West in 2013 and has been one of their most consistent performers and leading appearance-makers.

Showcasing his talents in front of a bumper crowd at Tatnam will hold no fear for Pettefer, a veteran of no fewer than three significant Football League finals at the Millennium Stadium.

Having progressed through the ranks at Portsmouth and been handed his first professional contract by the late Alan Ball at 17, Pettefer made his full debut against West Brom in February 2002.

Lining up alongside future England international Peter Crouch, Pompey were beaten 5-0 at the Hawthorns but Pettefer had the consolation of having taken his bow in the second tier, now the Championship.

He left Fratton Park following a loan spell at Exeter and signed permanently for Southend in May 2004, just weeks after breaking his leg at Huddersfield, the fracture coming 20 days after he had featured in his first major final.

Pettefer, who was on loan to the Shrimpers at the time, started in front of a crowd of more than 34,000 at the Millennium Stadium as Southend suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Blackpool in the final of the LDV Vans Trophy.

A team-mate of current Cherries goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan, Pettefer again crossed the Severn Bridge 13 months later and again tasted defeat in the final of the LDV Vans Trophy as Wrexham emerged triumphant in front of 36,216 spectators.

However, it would prove a case of third time lucky for Pettefer and Southend when they returned to Cardiff for the League Two play-off final just seven weeks after having tasted defeat in the Welsh capital against Wrexham.

The only member of Steve Tilson’s team to play every game in 2004-05, Pettefer helped the Shrimpers set up a final against Lincoln as they saw off Northampton over two legs in the semi-final.

And while a modest crowd of 19,653 may have witnessed the showpiece, promotion easily erased the memory of two LDV Vans Trophy runners-up medals for Pettefer and his team-mates.

“As a player, you need to make the most of the big games,” said Pettefer, speaking to the Daily Echo ahead of Poole’s promotion shootout with Corby. “These games don’t come around too often. We are hoping for a good crowd and are full of confidence. We want to make it a really special day for our supporters.

“Although some people might say we should have already wrapped it up, it is a dream scenario and it doesn’t get much better than first against second to decide the title on the final day of the season.

“We were in a similar position at Southend. We were in an automatic spot going into the last game but ended up in the play-offs. It didn’t affect us and winning the play-offs is probably the best way to go up.

“We are looking to wrap it up against Corby and it is all set up to be a great game. We know we only need a draw but that is a dangerous way to approach any game.

“They have to score so, at some point, are going to have to start committing players and it is just a case of being disciplined. We have great backing from our supporters and are going into the game in form after suffering a blip a few weeks ago.”

A trainee teacher at a school in Wimborne, Pettefer, who made one appearance for Cherries in 2008, featured in three Southern League play-offs for AFC Totton and also captained them to the Division One South & West title in 2011.