POOLE Town silenced their noisy neighbours from across the Stour to claim both the bragging rights and the Dorset Senior Cup in emphatic fashion tonight.

Arch rivals Wimborne, who last lifted the trophy under Alex Pike in 1997, were forced to settle for the bridesmaids’ tag for the third time in the past four years.

Despite taking the lead, the Magpies ran out of steam and were ruthlessly ripped apart as Poole served up a second-half masterclass to win 4-1.

The pre-match verbal jousting on social network sites took a back seat as Poole let their play do the talking.

A packed house at the County Ground saw Poole come from behind to net four goals as Wimborne were worn down and overwhelmed.

Wimborne boss Steve Cuss highlighted Poole’s equalising goal on the stroke of half-time as a “key moment”, with Carl Preston’s strike cancelling out Jon Blake’s ninth-minute opener.

Blake prodded Wimborne into the lead following a sweeping move involving Jamie Davidson and Billy Maybury.

Davidson’s crossfield pass found Maybury scampering down the left flank and, after the roving left-back had centred, Blake was on hand to pull the trigger from close range.

Poole went close to drawing level just four minutes later when Steve Devlin’s thunderous 30-yard free-kick rattled the underside of the crossbar.

Dolphins goalkeeper Nick Hutchings saved at his near post after Matt Kemble had taken aim before a Marvin Brooks effort was deflected past the post.

Michael Walker, a constant threat in the air to Wimborne, saw his header from a Devlin corner clip the top of the crossbar and then nodded wide from a hanging cross from Will Spetch.

Preston levelled on the stroke of half-time, the winger latching on to a deflected pass from Dan Cann before darting into the 18-yard box and finishing with a composed left-foot strike.

Davidson warmed Hutchings’s fingertips with a rasping drive early in the second half before Poole started the turn the screw.

The Dolphins seized the initiative when Adam Kelly’s sweetly-struck volley gave Wimborne goalkeeper Jason Harvell no chance after 65 minutes.

Wimborne failed to defend Cann’s long throw in the lead up to the goal and were again found wanting when Brooks made it 3-1 on 71 minutes.

Poole’s superiority was emphasised when Kelly’s memorable effort eight minutes from time completed the scoring and finally put Wimborne out of their misery.

The midfielder started out on an electrifying run from just over the halfway line and left four defenders trailing in his wake before drilling home left footed from around 15 yards.

Jubilant Poole boss Tom Killick said: “We got beaten by Wimborne in the League Cup and we just said, at the end of the season, let’s have a look at the league table. It shows the difference between the sides but, in a one-off game, you are vulnerable. We just had to prove our superiority.

“The table says we are significantly better than them but a lot of people will turn up and judge it on just one match. To dominate them in the league and to win tonight in significant fashion was pleasing.”

Wimborne boss Cuss said: “The lads gave absolutely everything, they stood up and were counted but we were stretched in the second half.”

Magpies: Harvell 5.5, Arnold 6.5, Maybury 6, Costello 5, Brian 5, Blake 6.5, Sainsbury 5.5, Hubbard 5.5, Kemble 5, Davidson 6.5 (Peprah-Annan, 87), Webb 5 (Smith, 72). Unused subs: Gill, Cole, Ackerman (g/k).

Dolphins: Hutchings 7, Burbidge 7, Spetch 7.5, Clarke 7, Walker 8.5, Brooks 8 (Skelton, 90), Kelly 9*, Devlin 8, Charles 5 (Richardson, 62), Preston 7, Cann 7.5 (Dibba, 86). Unused subs: Ohameje, T Brown (g/k).