DAVE Webb believes his Swindon Supermarine side proved a few doubters wrong as they toughed out a 2-1 Southern League West triumph over Paulton Rovers on Saturday.

The victory took Marine back into the top five in the table and with games in hand on many of their rivals, Webb’s men are well placed to relaunch a promotion assault.

The hosts took the lead through Josh Parsons but suffered a blow when Brad Hooper missed a first-half penalty, with Paulton levelling when Jack Ball scored seven minutes after half-time.

Marine regathered, though, and Parsons restored their advantage on the hour mark, which was enough for the home side to earn a precious three points against the side that dumped them out of the FA Cup earlier this season.

Webb said: “We had to show what I believe the players are all about. We’ve had to dig in.

“Paulton came here in the FA Cup and did a job on us and I’m just so pleased for the players that they’ve managed to show a side to them that some people think they haven’t got - that togetherness and fight.

“It is there and it was there to see. They had to dig in for each other and show a lot of quality and Josh got his second goal and that was enough to win us the game.’’ Jack Alexander and Zak Westlake both had early chances for the home side before Parsons scored his first after Joe Selman’s strike was saved.

However, their efforts to double that advantage were thwarted when Hooper’s spot-kick was saved and Marine keeper Josh Hill also had to be alert to keep out another Rovers attack in the opening period.

Ball levelled shortly after half-time but Parsons fired high into the net for his second before Hill produced a late double save to deny the visitors a point.

Webb, whose side start a sequence of three away matches at Shortwood United on Tuesday, added: “Brad Hooper missing a penalty is rare - I can’t remember ever seeing him miss one - and that would have put us 2-0 up on 25 minutes. I thought we deserved that because some of our play was good in the first half.

“We didn’t get that second goal and they came back into the game and got that equaliser and we were in a game then.

“We probably should have extended that lead (after Parsons’ second) and made it more comfortable but Paulton are a good side - they will upset teams. Everything that was coming into our box from set-pieces we had to defend bravely and it’s a fantastic three points.’’