POOLE Town vice-chairman Chris Reeves has called for “common sense” from the FA ahead of the club’s imminent second ground grading inspection.

The club’s Tatnam headquarters needs to achieve the Football Association’s ‘D grade’ by the end of March for the club to continue competing in the Southern League next season and gain access to the play-offs this term.

Chiefs from Wembley, who are set to visit Tatnam on Wednesday, told Dolphins they needed development on two sides of the stadium, resulting in the new £12,000 stand that provides cover for 100 people behind the goal at the clubhouse end of the ground.

The biggest remaining concern is alongside the side that joins the school field, where Poole officials have laid down rubber matting and temporary plastic flooring during the season.

For the D grade, FA guidelines state: “Any level surface within the ground should ideally be hard standing, such as asphalt, concrete, concrete paving or other approved materials which create a bound surface. However, flat and well maintained grassed areas may be accepted.”

With the club funding the walkway for the popular area of the stadium, Reeves hopes the path will get the green light.

The Dolphins chief told the Echo: “We have told the FA what we have done and sent them detailed specifications of the material and photographs, so we are confident that it will pass the inspection.

“The school needs the full field in the summer so we can’t put concrete down – whatever we put down for the nine months of the season we have to take up for the three months in the summer, but we are confident the FA will be happy with what we have done.

“In addition, there is thick, solid rubber matting which, until recently, we understood was acceptable, so we have got two layers of quasi hard-standing. If that is not good enough I would be very frustrated.

“What we have put down protects everyone from muddy grass – it is secure and solid so we are hopeful it will be okay.”

If the path is rejected, Dolphins would be forced to run with a three-sided ground, which would still pass the D grade, meeting the capacity criteria of 1,300.

Reeves added: “If necessary, it will have to become three-sided, but I would be very frustrated because the school side is a very popular part of the ground. People wouldn’t stand there if they were uncomfortable with what they were standing on – we hope that the FA take a common sense approach.

“When the dust has settled on all the extras, it will come to about £12,000 and, overall, our supporters have contributed the best part of £6,000 towards it – they are fabulous people.

“We have cleared everything off the list from the last inspection, so we are not expecting any problems.”