POOLE Town returned to winning ways away in south Wales on Tuesday night, defeating high-flying Merthyr Town 2-0.
Both goals for the Dolphins came in the second period, with strike partners Toby Holmes and Tony Lee getting on the scoresheet.
There was further drama as substitute Destiny Ojo saw red for a second yellow, apparently for kicking the ball away during celebrations of Poole’s second.
Manager Matt Tubbs made two changes to the side defeated 2-0 at Sholing on Saturday, with Luke Nippard and Billy Lowes making way for Declan Rose and Frankie Monk respectively.
The home side were certainly the stronger of the two teams in the first period, with Dolphins goalie Max Evans kept busy through the opening 45 minutes.
Martyrs top scorer Ricardo Rees took frequent stopping, Evans most notably denying the striker one-on-one before a fine finger-tipped save.
Still in the game thanks to their goalkeeper’s heroics, Poole looked livelier in the second half.
It would take them just 13 second-half minutes to open scores. Cam Murray played a corner quickly, taking the short option to tee up Rose for a cross.
The ball into the box found the awaiting Holmes, who still had work to do to swivel and fire past Will Fuller in the Merthyr goal.
As the game reached its conclusion, Evans was again called into action to keep the away side’s lead intact.
But the match’s next goal would come for Poole. Ojo went on a mazy run, cutting in from the right before some neat interplay with Lee on the edge of the box.
Ojo proceeded to knock the ball back to Lee, who fired home to make sure of the result.
Having already been shown yellow for simulation, Ojo was then handed his marching orders for booting the ball away in jubilation after Poole’s second goal.
Dolphins: Evans, Rose, Whisken, Willson, Wright, Murray, Fogden, Slade (Lowes, 71), Monk (Ojo, 55), Holmes (Samadi, 84) Lee.
Unused subs: Hutchinson, Nippard.
Booked: Murray, Rose, Ojo.
Dismissed: Ojo.
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