By Edd Paul
POOLE TOWN'S play-off hopes have been dealt a blow after the Dolphins were deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player.
The Calor League Premier promotion-chasers were penalised for playing suspended defender Sam Clarke during their last-gasp 2-1 win against Redditch United in December.
Despite club officials contacting the FA as soon as they discovered their administrative error moments after Carl Preston netted the Dolphins' 90th minute winner, the club incurred a £250 fine and the points gained from the win were expunged, leaving Poole eight points off the play-off places.
As if the deduction wasn't bad enough, the Dolphins face a crippling fixture backlog due to several postponements during the early stages of 2014.
Describing the club's error, vice-chairman Chris Reeves admitted his horror at his and other directors' moment of realisation.
“We were all absolutely horrified, and I don't think I have ever felt so down or depressed after a win” he said.
“We owned up immediately. It simply should not happen at our level of football but there would be no point blaming individuals.”
Dolphins' boss Tom Killick was defiant despite the setback, and is determined his side can still secure a play-off spot.
“Collectively we have to take it on the chin and move on,” he said.
“We are still more than capable of securing a place in the play-offs and my belief has not wavered at all in the wake of this points deduction.”
