SWINDON Supermarine boss Dave Webb paid tribute to the application of his troops as they took all three points at Fleet Town on Saturday.

The Webb’s Wood men were missing first-choice centre-backs Dave Bampton and Ross Adams for their weekend trip to Hampshire but endeavoured to carve out a 2-0 victory, their third in a row in all competitions.

Brad Gray’s 78th-minute header from a Josh Morse delivery finally put Marine in control before Luke Hopper won and converted a penalty to round off the scoring with just minutes remaining.

“Fleet’s always a tough place to go and we’ve really struggled there recently but I was really pleased with the application of the players,” said Webb.

“We were missing two centre-backs – one was suspended and one was at a wedding – so we lined up with three at the back, five in midfield and two up top.

“We worked really hard and it was a really good team performance all round. We didn’t score from a few chances that came our way and we did wonder if that was going to cost us but then Brad Gray scored a really good goal.

“We kept pushing and Luke Hopper then won us a penalty, which he scored. It was also Mark Flanagan’s first game back after his knee injury and I thought he was outstanding.”

Marine host league new-boys Larkhall Athletic on Tuesday evening and Webb is in no doubt that last season’s Toolstation League champions, who are currently seventh in the Southern League Division One South and West table, will pose a significant challenge for his side.

The Marine chief said: “I know their manager Wayne (Thorne) and he was fierce competitor in his playing days.

“They won the Toolstation Prem last year and that’s a very tough league.

“Larkhall are used to winning games because they were champions last year and it’s no fluke that they’re seventh in the table.

“But we’ll be the home side and it’s key that we make that count on Tuesday – it’s going to be a very tough game.”

Defender Adams returns to the Marine squad for Tuesday’s clash with Bath-based Larkhall but skipper Bampton serves the final game of his suspension, which was picked up when he was shown a red card against Yate Town last month.

Aaron Ferris is unavailable but Webb revealed that he is hoping to re-sign striker Luke Abrahart from league rivals Didcot Town.

Abrahart signed for Marine at the start of last season before leaving to join Didcot in December.