POOLE Town will play a home fixture at Dorchester Town this weekend, due to ongoing pitch concerns at BlackGold Stadium.

Dolphins have slipped into a relegation battle in the Southern League Premier South, after a woeful run of 13 losses in their last 15 matches.

They have six games remaining, five of which were due to be staged at Tatnam Farm.

However, it has now been announced they will take on Merthyr Town at The Avenue on the artificial pitch this Saturday instead.

A statement from Poole read: “Due the wet and persistent bad weather the club have decided to switch our home match venue to Dorchester Town this Saturday, April 6.

“All the same arrangements as per any home match - turnstile and bar will be open at 1.30pm with a 3pm kick-off. 

“We hope our fans will make the short journey to support the lads as this will be very much needed at the business end of the season.”

Dorchester, managed by Tom Killick, who was sacked by Poole this season, have recently leapfrogged the Dolphins in the standings. They play away at Hayes & Yeading United this weekend.

Steve Tully’s Poole sit 15th, just three points above the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, Dolphins have withdrawn from the Dorset Senior Cup.

They were due to travel to Shaftesbury in the semi-finals, having overcome Wimborne Town in the last eight.

A statement from Poole, who won the competition last year, read: “It is with great regret that the club has felt it essential to withdraw from the DSC semi-final v Shaftesbury.

“We have done this with the greatest of reluctance but we felt we had to prioritise the need to pick up league points and given the ongoing relentless rain and the risk of further postponements a decision was needed.

“We offered to play the game on the evening of Tuesday, April 9, the same day as the Winchester (league) game at the Black Gold and would have fielded a side from our u23 squad but that was not acceptable to the County FA.

“We offered to play the game on  a Thursday when we could have fielded a side along the same mix as played so well in beating Wimborne in the last round but unfortunately Tuesdays are the only night when the ground is available to Shaftesbury.

“We were not prepared to play on a Tuesday, which would have meant us postponing a league fixture and having then to play it on a Thursday and again two days later with all the obvious issues inherent in that. Our league position is just too important.

“We felt were left with no choice. We really did try hard to find an answer.”

Shaftesbury will now move through to play Hamworthy Recreation in the final.

Meanwhile this Saturday, Wimborne Town continue their title push with a home game against Paulton Rovers (3pm).