Poole Town reached the semi-finals of the Dorset Senior Cup by beating Sherborne Town 4-3.
Poole kept only three starters from their league fixture against Kings Langley, with Sam Jackson and Declan Rose dropping back to form a three man defence with Sean Wright.
Midfield veterans Micky Hubbard and Steve Devlin offered experience to a youthful line-up, with 17 year-old Will Butler selected in-between the sticks. Luke Pardoe mead his return after obtaining international clearance due to studying in the US, whilst Addwell Chipangura started for the first time in Poole colours.
The game took a while to get going, with the Dolphins eventually taking the lead in the 8th minute. A deflected Joe Wickham strike looped onto the bar, falling kindly for Luke Burbidge to nod home from a yard out.
Poole had to wait again to double their advantage, a lovely team move stemming from a brilliant Declan Rose ball. His outside of the foot through ball found Pardoe, who cooly slotted in Tyler Forbes who obliged by poking the ball into the net.
Sherborne were not out classed by any means, proving that responding with a goal of their own less than a minute after Forbes’ strike.
Butler did well to confidently punch a dangerous cross, but let the follow-up shot trickle through his hands after Poole failed to close Sam Farthing down.
Some sloppy defending shortly before the break would allow the Zebras to restore parity, with Matty Brown seizing upon a loose ball after confusion at a corner to equalise.
Dolphins immediately made amends after the break, with a mazy Luke Pardoe ending with the former Cherries youngster slotting the ball in the corner.
Shortly before the break Poole had restored their two-goal advantage when Sean Wright rose highest to nod home a Steve Devlin free-kick.
Despite controlling the proceedings, Poole again switched off at a set-piece, allowing Henry Lawrence to thump home a header and set up an interesting final ten minutes.
The nervy finish almost had another late scare, with the Zebras smacking the bar.
Poole: Butler, Rose, Wright (Mayo 74′), Jackson, Forbes, Hubbard, Devlin, Wickham, Pardoe, Burbidge (MacArthur 59′), Chipangura
Subs: Spetch, Whisken, Bartlett
All Poole Aren't We 