DAVE Webb was left to rue some poor defending by his players as their dreams of promotion were ended by Merthyr Town.

Swindon Supermarine were hoping to avenge last year’s Southern League Division One South and West play-off defeat to the Martyrs.

However, it was not to be as the Welsh outfit made the most of the opportunities presented to them.

“I’m disappointed, the first three goals we conceded, they are poor ones to give away,” a dejected Webb told the Adver after the game.

“We scored two great ones from Ash (Edenborough). The fourth goal has killed the game, the first three were avoidable. But credit to Merthyr, they are good side, they were unlucky to miss out on promotion, we needed to start to defend properly and keep the ball out of the net for longer.

“You can’t keep trying to outscore teams and next season we will try to be harder to beat.”

But while he was disappointed by the opening three goals, he felt that the fourth, Kayne McLaggon’s second of the night was key.

Skipper Dave Bampton was off the pitch rinsing out some blood from his mouth and the hosts raced away and put the game beyond Marine.

“He (Bampton) has got blood coming out of his mouth and the referee has told him to go off the pitch,” Webb said. “I think the ref was probably trying to prove a point with him, they were having a bit of a ding-dong over whatever.

“But McLaggon has then nicked it of Mark Flanagan and he scored.

“When you have got your centre half of the pitch it is far from ideal.”

With the dream of promotion now over, Webb is hoping that he will be able to keep this side together next term as they looked to bring some silverware to South Marston.

“They are all disappointed,” the Supermarine boss added.

“But you have to think that 93 points won the league and we had 79, you have to look at the season and we could have been closer to that total.

“When we are at our best we can beat anybody and next year we have to have that attitude every game and then we might win the league, we are not that far away.

“It is a big achievement to reach the play-offs for a second year, but that doesn’t help right now, we are all disappointed.”