Poole Town fell to a narrow 1–0 defeat against Gosport Borough at the BlackGold Stadium, despite a spirited performance in challenging conditions on Saturday afternoon.

The Dolphins started brightly, seeing plenty of the ball and creating early pressure through Ik Hill and Antonio Diaz. However, they were dealt an early blow when Selim Saied was forced off following a heavy collision with the advertising boards inside ten minutes.

Poole looked to make their early dominance count and thought they had taken the lead when the ball found the net from a corner, only for the referee to rule it out for a foul. Shaq Gwengwe was also on the receiving end of a tough challenge that saw Gosport’s captain booked, as both sides battled in a competitive opening half.

After the break, Poole continued to press. Owen Dore’s header from a corner forced an excellent save from Gosport keeper Toby Hall, and Charlie Davis’ cross moments later almost found Gwengwe at the back post. But against the run of play, the visitors took the lead midway through the second half, converting from close range after a quick counter-attack.

Joe Lea and Pat Suraci’s side responded well, introducing fresh legs in Ayo, Kris Campbell, and Scott Rowles to push for an equaliser. The Dolphins piled on the pressure late on, with Gwengwe going close and several dangerous free-kickstesting the Gosport defence.

Despite seven added minutes and relentless attacking play, Poole couldn’t find a breakthrough as Gosport held on for all three points.

The result sees Poole remain in third place in the Southern League Premier South as they look to bounce back in their next fixture against Yate Town on the road next Saturday.