DAVE Webb reckons Swindon Supermarine cannot afford to slip up against sides like Winchester City if they are to stay in the hunt for promotion this term.

Marine are currently in the last of the play-off places in Southern League Division One South & West, sitting fifth in the table, and host a Winchester side languishing fifth from bottom.

Webb is not reading too much into the visitors’ form as they, like Marine, were a top-five finisher last term, although the Webbswood Stadium chief reckons anything less than victory would be damaging to his side’s ambitions of staying in the hunt at the top of the table.

“They are a good side, their league position is not a reflection of where they are and what they are about,” said Webb.

“They were fighting for the play-off places all year last season so I am expecting a tough game and we have to make sure we show the same level of commitment we did against Salisbury on Tuesday.

“We have done extremely well so far this season. We got a good point on Tuesday and we are fifth in the table and we want to stay there and we will have to fight to do that.

“The league is starting to take shape now but there are still some good teams below us.

“The types of games that we need to win are exactly the ones we have coming up. We need to beat people like Winchester at home if we want to stay where we are.”

Marine’s midweek point at Salisbury came after heavy defeats at home to Hereford in the league and at Taunton Town in the FA Trophy, and was only courtesy of a second-half fightback.

The South Marston side were 2-0 in arrears at the break but Brad Hooper’s penalty and a Conor Waldon strike secured them a share of the spoils.

Webb hailed the resilience shown by his side and hopes to see more of the same this weekend.

“When we looked at the fixture list, we knew we had a very tough run of games. Hereford and Salisbury are the favourites to win the league, and rightly so,” said Webb.

“We weren’t good enough last weekend at Taunton and the players admitted that, so having gone 2-0 down at Salisbury, the reaction in the second half was superb.

“It could have been easy to hide and not want the ball and take another defeat but the players deserve great credit for the work they put in to come back.

“It was a good point and I think we needed that after the previous few games.

“It shows great character and commitment, they kept pushing to turn it around. It shows what they are capable of. We had to get a reaction and they did exactly that.”

Ryan Morgan is a doubt this weekend after coming off inured against Salisbury but Callum Parsons is available again after suspension.