TAFFY Richardson believes Easter could be a defining period in Poole Town’s quest for a Southern League play-off place.

The Dolphins tomorrow visit Division One South & West rivals Bishops Cleeve (3pm) before hosting Wimborne at Tatnam on Monday (11am).

Richardson, who netted in Poole’s 1-1 draw with Yate six days ago, said: “We probably need to win three of our remaining five games to reach the play-offs and I think the next two will be the most difficult.

“I played at Bishops Cleeve during a loan spell at Wimborne in October and it is not the best place to play. The pitch isn’t brilliant and it isn’t very big.

“They are not the greatest football team but they work very hard. They had one chance against Wimborne and scored and we didn’t have any. They stopped the game, stopped us playing and it suited them. They are very good at what they do and fight hard.

“Wimborne are not the team they were at the start of the season. Steve Cuss has done well and has got in some good players. They have got a good balance now.

“If we play like we can and work a lot harder than we did against Yate on Saturday, we should be okay.”

Poole are without Army man Keith Emmerson for the trip to Cheltenham, although Kevin Gill returns following a three-match suspension. Glenn Howes is added to the squad after recovering from a thigh strain.

Lamin Dibba is expected to continue his comeback from long-term injury by again lining up for Bournemouth Electric, while the club is still awaiting international clearance for striker Karim Benssaouda. Assistant James Wood will take the team in the absence of boss Tom Killick.

Dolphins: (from) Hutchings, Tallack, Spetch, Walker, Gill, Brooks, Richardson, Howes, Devlin, Preston, Cann, Joyce, Smith, Baldacchino, Clarke, Pinder, Bayston.