POOLE Town have set the benchmark the Terras need to aspire to, according to Jason Matthews.

Weymouth fought hard in yesterday’s local derby at the Bob Lucas Stadium but the Dolphins always seemed to possess the answers, as they went on to record a comfortable 3-0 victory.

The defeat was Matthews’ first as caretaker-manager but he remained philosophical afterwards.

He told Echosport: “Poole have set us a benchmark now.

“They had quality in all positions and I thought Steve Devlin got on the ball for them and turned us well.

“Dan Cann also held it up and brought others into play and I have no doubts they will be a top-five side this year.

“They have been together for a while and are very well organised, and you have to take your hat off to them for that.

“I thought we matched them well in the first half but we then conceded two sloppy goals in the second, and when you do that, it is always going to be an uphill task.

“Our work rate was superb but Poole have some quality and I thought it showed.”

Cann opened the scoring with a fine finish before Ekow Elliott and Marvin Brooks made the points safe for Poole after the break.

Matthews added: “The first goal was a fine finish but I was very disappointed with the other two.

“We switched off at a long throw for the second one and the third was an unmarked header from a corner.

“That second goal, just after the break, gave them a huge lift and, to be honest, after that we never looked like breaking them down.

“It’s a disappointing result but all we can do now is pick ourselves up and look to go again at Frome tomorrow (3pm).”

The Terras have now dropped a place to 16th in the Calor Southern Premier Division table while the Dolphins have moved up to fourth.