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The conditions were difficult for Poole Borough's first ever home game on a hot sunny day and with a hard dusty pitch, but the club were honoured with a visit from their President, the Mayor of Poole to initiate proceedings.

Badger started the better side against Borough, without Paul Morrell and Tony Whitfield in defence and could have scored two in the first five minutes the second attempt being cleared off the line. Poole started to find their feet and Ron Denty narrowly headed over the bar after 8 minutes before Alan Fooks put Borough ahead 2 minutes later lifting the ball over the advancing keeper after running on to a through pass.

Badger continued to threaten and had a goal disallowed after 19 minutes for obstruction and should have done better 3 minutes later with a free kick 22 yds out in front of goal.

Poole also had their chances in an even first half, Smith latched onto a bouncing ball in the area only to shoot straight at the keeper and another devastating cut in from the left wing by Thompson past 3 defenders lead to him being one on one against the keeper, but his rolled shot went just the wrong side of the left hand post.

HT - 1-0

Poole looked the better side in the second half, and produced four clear chances between 52 and 56 minutes coming with a Denty header from Morrells' free kick, a Fooks drive from a cleared corner, a Russell free kick, and well worked corner where Denty headed the ball into the 6 yrd box for Fooks to nod narrowly over.

The next 15 minutes drifted around midfield as the temperature got the better of both sets of players, but Poole again moved up a gear after 70 minutes when a cross whipped in by Buckfield alluded both Fooks and Holdroyd. On 71 minutes Poole got their second when James Russell received the ball from 35 yrds out, central to the goal and drove a sweet low shot into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Further chances came from Freeman, Fooks and Holdroyd, with the Badger defence starting to loose its shape for the first time. On 84 minutes Smith ran on to a Fooks pass and after his first shot came back off the keeper, he made no mistake with the second attempt.

Badger could have scored a consolation on 86 minutes when they shot against the side netting and at the other end an Atkins dipping shot from the right just failed to drop under the bar.

Poole were unable to show the same level of passing game as in previous matches, but at the back coach Paul Arnold played an assured game as sweeper linking well with Pete Morrell, Ron Denty and Graham Freeman to ensure Borough kept their fourth clean sheet in a row.

Poole Borough: Burton, Arnold, Freeman (Atkins 83), Pete Morrell, Denty, Buckfield, Holdroyd, Russell , Smith, Alan Fooks, Thompson . Unused subs : Bancroft, Brown