The weather had begun to cool into an Autumnal early September evening and I made my first trip after a day at work, to visit the Tatnam Stadium in Poole.

Poole Town moved to the Tatnam Stadium in 2000, with the main stand being built for £80,000 to allow them to meet the league requirements of the Wessex League. In 2015 upgrades costing £200,000 including a new stand and additional seating ensured the team were able to meet the requirements for promotion to the National League South, which was achieved in 2016. In 2019 Poole returned to the Southern League South and the club is rumoured to be seeking a new site for the ground, with the original Poole Stadium, as well as other options like Canford Magna being explored.

Today’s tie saw Poole Town and Swindon SuperMarine FC of the Southern League Premier Division South, play an FA Cup Qualifying round replay, for the right to play Taunton Town FC in the next qualifying round, after the two sides played out a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

Poole Town, managed by Steve Tully, have made a positive start to the season and sat in 5th place in the league after just five matches, coming into tonight’s match. Goals haven’t been free flowing, rather it has been defensive strength that has underpinned Poole Town’s success this season, however those scored to date have come from Charlie Davis (2 goals), Tom Hewlett, Tryique Clarke and Toby Holmes (All 1 goal).

Swindon SuperMarine FC failed to win despite playing a Poole Town side reduced to ten men for much of the game on Saturday. They have started the league season poorly too, with just four points from five games, leaving them in eighteenth place. Head Coach, Stuart Fleetwood, would have wanted his side to secure a morale boosting win at Poole tonight to provide a bit of belief and positivity early in the season. Goals have proved rare for Swindon SuperMarine too this season, with their five goals to date coming from Michael Fernandes (2 goals), Anton Dworzak, Toby Holland and Gabe Reivers (All one goal)

The first half was a very hard fought affair, carrying on from the small margins from the first tie. Early on Swindon SuperMarine had a goal ruled out for offside but most of their attacks were on the break as Poole Town dominated possession.

On the stroke of half time, Poole Town moved into the lead, when their energetic forward Tyrique Clarke created a chance from nowhere and hit the ball high past the impressive Daniel Brabham in the Swindon Town goal, to make it 1-0.

At the break both sides went in with the crowd of 421 knowing that anyone could still secure a place in the next round.

The second half saw a resurgent Swindon SuperMarine FC and they created chances after chance, with some being wasted and hit wide or over the bar and four or five forcing decent saves from a resolute Cam Plain in the Poole Town goal.

In the 83rd minute Swindon SuperMarine were made to pay for their failure to execute a finish in front of goal. Poole Town broke free and Toby Holmes was in the right place at exactly the right time, to make it 2-0.

Poole Town were able to see out the remainder of the game to secure the win and earn a tie against Taunton Town in the next round. Swindon SuperMarine headed home to Wiltshire with the knowledge that they had real chances tonight to make the home side fight harder than they did to progress.