POOLE Town striker Leigh Phillips could not hide his disappointment after missing out on a battle of the hard men' with former Cherries defender Russ Perrett last night.

Perrett, Brockenhurst's new club captain, was missing from the New Forest side's line-up in their 1-0 defeat at Tatnam, with Phillips admitting he had been "looking forward" to a good old fashioned tear-up with the ex-Pompey man.

Phillips told the Echo: "Russ didn't play, which was a shame. It would have been fun and a bit tasty!

"We played in rep sides and town teams when we were kids and I haven't seen him for a few years, but I'll just have to wait for the return fixture I suppose!"

Charlie Austin's strike midway through the second half was enough to secure all three points for Tom Killick's Dolphins, with Brock surprisingly lacking punch in front of goal following Saturday's 6-1 win over Newport IOW.

Phillips added: "They are going to be up there at the end of the season and they've got some good players.

"We defended really well tonight, though, and snuffed out any threat they had. They've got young Tom Jeffes up front and Dave Wakefield who is experienced, but our back four were outstanding.

"I don't think Jason had a shot to save and we've got a good foundation in the side. I think another side is going to get a good hiding soon with the quality we've got. It just needs a bit of time to develop as we've pretty much got a whole new team here.

"The game tonight was a bit flat though. It was almost like it had come too early in the season as I'd expected both teams to really go at it.

"But to take three points of them this early, especially after their result on Saturday, is really good for us."

KEMP BACKS KENNY

GRAHAM Kemp has backed Poppies caretaker boss Kenny Vaughan to take the Victoria Park manager's job on a permanent basis.

Christchurch boss Kemp watched his men leave Winton with a hard-fought point as Vaughan's side continued to put a summer of turmoil behind them.

Poppies twice came from behind with Liam McGlynn and Fawzi Saadi cancelling out efforts from James Burden and Marc Burrows Kemp said: "I assume they'll keep Kenny on. They are well organised, well drilled and he's put a decent side together at short notice."

Last night's result made it four points from six for Vaughan, whose quick-fire rebuilding job followed the departures of former boss James Wood and virtually the entire first-team squad earlier this summer..

Kemp added: "I thought we started quite brightly and we had three or four gilt-edged opportunities early on.

"But I've got to take my hat off to the lads, because a draw was probably a fair result.

"They passed the ball well, worked very hard for each other and worked themselves into the ground, but to be in front twice with the experienced side we have, we should have seen the game out."

  • A goal from substitute Max Sampays was enough to hand Premier Division New Milton Town a well-earned three points at Bemerton Heath Harelequins, while Verwood Town kept up their 100 per cent start in Wessex Division One by seeing off Fleet Spurs 2-1, thanks to a Liam Kingsley brace.