VERWOOD Town’s joint biggest Sydenhams Premier victory has left manager Carl Poore with a tricky selection dilemma.

The Potters, promoted to the top flight in 2012, brought Newport IoW’s five-match winning run – all clean sheets – screeching to a halt with a 5-0 win at Potterne Park.

It was the third time Verwood had achieved that emphatic scoreline, with Hayling United (March 2013) and Totton & Eling (November 2013) on the end of previous pastings.

Given that substitutes Matt Gilchrist and Max Oldham were among the scorers while skipper Charlie Gajic missed out through suspension, Poore now has some big decisions to make ahead of tonight’s trip to second-placed Moneyfields.

“Apart from goalkeeper Chris Lynch, who is out for six weeks, and Charlie, I had a full squad to select from so a few players were disappointed,” he said.

“But the selection paid off and two of the subs came on and scored as well, so that is going to make the next one even tougher.”

Newport arrived on the mainland on the back of five successive 1-0 victories and had not conceded for 453 minutes.

But Ben Kelly’s first-half opener changed all that and Verwood ruthlessly tore down Port’s defences after the break with strikes from Matt Groves, McGilchrist, Oldham and Tom Whelan.

“It was an absolutely fantastic performance, our best of the season,” beamed Poore. “We defended superbly and threatened to score every time we attacked.

“Newport are a big club and are pushing for the Southern League. They had won five on the bounce and we expected a tough game, but we battered them. They had no answer.”

Since the turn of the year Poore has presided over six wins in eight games, a run that has lifted the Potters well clear of the relegation zone.

“This win was up there with the best of my career,” said the former Poole Town skipper. “As a player you had games you won, but when you are the manager you pick the team so the winning feeling is a bit different.”

Winchester City will be hoping Verwood can do them a big favour at Moneyfields tonight.

Following Friday’s 4-0 win over Moneys, Paul Masters’ men are just three points behind the Portsmouth outfit with two games in hand in the race for second spot.

League leaders Petersfield remain six points clear of Moneys at the summit after Saturday’s scheduled trip to Totton & Eling was rained off.

Fareham Town’s home game with Blackfield & Langley also fell foul of the wet weather.