POOLE Town were made to pay for a lethargic first-half performance as they lost important ground in the race for third place in the Sydenhams Premier Division.

The Dolphins, who were dumped out at the semi-final stage of the Dorset Senior Cup in midweek when they lost 2-1 to Sherborne, looked a side low on confidence as VTFC made the early running.

And it was Ryan Ashford - who made one League Cup appearance for Southampton during Glenn Hoddle's reign - who was ultimately the difference between the sides as his cultured left foot served up a first-half brace to secure the points.

Ashford opened his account just five minutes into the contest as Poole needlessly gave away a free-kick in a dangerous area and the former Southampton man arrowed a low shot into the far corner.

That seemed to jolt Tom Killick's side into life and just five minutes later they were back on level terms again after a marvellous piece of skill from Karim Benssaouda.

The Algerian-born striker has courted controversy in the past with his fiery temperament and although he still doesn't seem totally at ease with his team-mates, the way he deftly controlled Gary Funnell's searching ball over the full-back and nonchalantly beat Scott O'Rourke showed he has the ability to be playing at a far higher level.

It was VT who nosed ahead again just past the half-hour mark with another piece of Ashford magic as he sprung the offside trap and drilled another sweet low strike into the motionless Max Frampton's opposite corner.

Although Ian Richardson was twice denied with efforts from set-pieces - one a terrific reaction save from O'Rourke - Poole perhaps just lacked that extra ounce of quality in the final third to pick out the killer pass.

It was the same story after the break. Although Killick's side were almost camped in the opposition half for long periods, the breakthrough never came and O'Rourke was never severely tested.

The visitors were happy to sit back and soak up pressure and despite some industrious work on the right flank from Trefor Smith, a succession of crosses failed to unduly trouble VT who held on for the three points.

Boss Killick said afterwards: "We played some decent stuff and got an awful lot of crosses in at times in the second half but didn't have that little bit of devil to get on the end of things.

"I thought we looked a reasonable outfit who were trying hard and looked energetic. But it just didn't quite happen for us on the day."

Poole: Frampton, Hogan, I Richardson, Whitley, Sturgess (Neville, h-t), T Smith, C Smith, Skelton (Brown, h-t), Funnell, Cann, Benssaouda (Glenister, 82).