JAMES Wood has admitted publicly for the first time that his fifth-placed Poppies side are genuine Wessex Premier title challengers.

But Wood, as coy as ever on the subject, only conceded the fact after Poole Town manager Tommy Killick stressed the Victoria Park outfit were firmly in the mix.

After Dolphins' 2-0 defeat against Totton last Saturday, Killick acknowledged it was a "five-horse race" rather than a "four-horse race" for the first time, with the fifth team being Poppies and the others Wimborne and VT FC.

Wood read Killick's view in the Echo, then said: "I think they all recognise we are very much in the race for the title.

"I don't think we will be strong enough to follow it through simply because of the (small) size of squad we have got.

"But none of those teams want to come to play us.

"We have taken points off Totton and Poole, and beaten Wimborne. They all know we are capable of beating anyone.

"All the managers know we are a threat. It is just a case of if we can carry it on through, so to be honest it doesn't surprise me at all what Tommy has said."

Wood, whose side visit Cowes tomorrow (3pm), added: "We might not win the title but we will definitely have a say in what happens.

"We have to play all the top sides again and no-one will relish coming to our place, especially if they need to win to win the title.

"To be honest, we haven't got the finances to win it, which is a credit to us for being where we are.

"We just need that little bit extra to take that next step, which is seriously challenging for the title in the future."

Poppies, held to a 2-2 home draw by Cowes earlier in the season, are unchanged from the squad that beat Moneyfields 1-0 six days ago.

Poppies: (from) Kearn, Crow, Cherrett, Dibba, M Toy, Morrell, Strong, White, Sanderson, Dancer, Smith, Barnes, Phillips, Jeffes, McCabe, Wood, Lucas.