POOLE Town manager Tom Killick reckons beefed up Carl Preston could still carve out a career in the professional ranks.

Killick says the 22-year-old winger has returned stronger this season having reaped the benefits of hitting the gym over the summer.

Preston made two appearances in League Two for Cherries in December 2008 but was released by the club after serving his apprenticeship.

He has attracted the attention of several league clubs since joining Poole and had a three-day trial spell with Reading in May 2011.

Former Cherries star Warren Cummings, now playing for the Dolphins, took to Twitter over the weekend, saying Preston had been “unplayable at times” during Poole’s win over St Albans on Saturday.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “He was very powerful. He did a lot of gym work over the summer and has packed on quite a bit of muscle. It has given an extra dimension to his game.

“Basingstoke couldn’t live with him in our last friendly and neither could St Albans. If he carries on in that vein, he could get into the higher ranks of non-league or even professional football.

“The way he is going now, he has certainly given himself a chance and he is putting in the work because he wants to push on. He is getting to an age where it needs to happen sooner rather than later.”

Preston, who has netted 68 goals in 219 appearances for the Dolphins, will be looking to maintain his form when Poole travel to Southern Premier rivals Chippenham tomorrow (7.45pm).

Killick is sweating on the fitness of Lamin Dibba (knee), while Will Spetch and Marvin Brooks again look set to miss out.

Dolphins: (from) Hutchings, Clarke, Cummings, Dibba, Whisken, Pettefer, Ekow, Devlin, Davies, Preston, Cann, Rowe, Gillespie, Byerley, Oliver, Thomas.

  • Wimborne boss Steve Cuss has warned his players that visitors Godalming will be no pushovers in the wake of their opening-day thrashing.

The Gs, Division One Central play-off semi-finalists last season, were thumped 5-0 at home by Paulton Rovers.

Magpies, beaten by Godalming in the FA Cup preliminary round two years ago, also lost their curtain-raiser 2-1 at Yate.

Cuss told the club website: “You shouldn’t read too much into opening-day results. Godalming find themselves in the same position as us, trying to bounce back after losing a game on Saturday. We will have to produce a much better performance than that we put up against Yate.”

Magpies: (from) Harvell, Arnold, Whitley, Griffin, Costello, Brian, Blake, Davidson, Phillipson-Masters, Hubbard, Stokoe, Kemble, Gamble, Webb, Smith, Maybury, Roast, Ackerman.