SWINDON Supermarine manager Dave Webb believes that top spot is now out of his team's reach ahead of their match with Mangotsfield this evening.

Marine lost 3-1 at promotion rivals Winchester City on Saturday and despite a game in hand over Southern League Division One South & West leaders Banbury, their seven defeats have left them seven points off the pace, a deficit that could be too much to overhaul with just 10 games remaining.

Webb’s side play host to 14th-placed Mangotsfield United tonight and, after back-to-back defeats, are keen to start another unbeaten run to secure their play-off place.

“The next game is vitally important for us now against Mangotsfield,” said the Webb’s Wood Stadium manager.

“We have got a run of games where we need to pick up as many points as we can.

“The overall performance on Saturday was a lot better than we were last Tuesday and that is positive. We need to take that positive thinking into the game against Mangotsfield and make sure we win that game.

“Winning is a habit but also, losing can become a habit. We haven’t got that much of a cushion to lose many more games, so we need to bounce back quickly.

“We have done well to get in the play-off spots and now we have to make sure we stay in there and finish as high as we can.

“The higher the position you can get, the better the chance, and a home tie with a second or third position is our target.

“We have lost too many games now to win the league but we want that home tie in the play-offs.

Mangotsfield, who were only beaten by Banbury courtesy of an own goal on Saturday, will be no pushovers and Webb knows everyone coming to Webb’s Wood Stadium will be looking to up their game.

“They (Mangotsfield) only lost 1-0 at home to Banbury, who are the form team, on Saturday, so they will be buoyed by that result.

“David May is a very good manager and he has put his stamp on that team, and it is quite a young side, who play with no fear.

“We are there to be shot at. When you are in the top five, everybody wants to beat you and Mangotsfield will be no different.

“Every team that comes will want to stop us and we have to manage that.”