SWINDON Supermarine secured a morale-boosting 2-0 victory over Swindon Town in a pre-season friendly fixture at the Webbswood Stadium on Saturday.

In what was both teams’ second fixture of the new season, Town controlled possession and chances but Marine were the far more clinical of the two.

Goals from James Harding a trialist secured a rare victory for Marine in the annual fixture but consigned Town to their first defeat under new head coach Scott Lindsey.

Town’s first-half XI made an encouraging start as Harry McKirdy twice went close, but Connor Johns saved the first and the trees behind the goal caught the second.

First-half captain Ben Gladwin set up Louis Reed for another good opportunity in the 15th minute. Gladwin cut a pass back to Reed - who had made a run into the box - but the latter's first-time shot was dragged narrowly wide with many members of the crowd thinking it had gone in.

Midway through the first half, there was a moment of controversy – a rare sight in a pre-season fixture. Town’s left-back trialist won a strong header and Harry Parsons flicked it on into the path of McKirdy. As Johns came out, McKirdy nicked it past him and was brought down.

The goalkeeper saw only yellow for his misdemeanour before Gladwin whipped the resulting free-kick wide of Johns right-hand post.

But in a game Marine had not won in the past 16 attempts, the hosts went ahead just before half-time.

Ryan Campbell crunched a long-range shot at goal which Lewis Ward parried away. Harry Williams was quickest to the rebound and, at the second time of asking, tapped across goal for James Harding to poke home on his debut.

Scott Lindsey’s men had one more good chance before the break. Trialist number 10 played a one-two with McKirdy down the right of centre, but after taking the return pass on his chest the midfielder skied his first-time effort into the trees behind the goal.

A fast start to the second 45 saw a handful of chances fall to both teams. George Cowmeadow whipped an early effort at goal that Johns tipped over. Up the other end, George Dowling curled an effort at Ward from outside the box.

The fast start made way for a lull in chances, but when opportunities did come, they were largely long-range and speculative from Town players.

The League Two side did hit the post late on through Ricky Aguiar, but still Lindsey’s men remained frustrated in their attempts to find a way past Johns.

And with five minutes to play, Spalding’s men secured a vital second to kill the game off. Campbell beat Town's right-back for pace before sliding a low ball into the box for Marine's trialist striker to tap past a helpless Ward.

STFC first-half XI: Ward, Brennan, Minturn, Reed, Gladwin (c), Devine, McKirdy, Parsons, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist.

STFC second-half XI: Ward, Baudry (c), Harries, Shade, Aguiar, Dworzak, Williams, Cowmeadow, Massey, Wakeling, Trialist.

Supermarine starting XI: Johns, Turl, Hall, Edge, Liddiard, Sharpe, Spalding, Dowling, Williams, Harding, Campbell.

SUBS: Stanley, Duffus, Morrison, Kotwica, Trialist, Trialist, Golledge.