TWO first-half goals fired Swindon Supermarine up to fourth in the Southern League West table following a fine 2-0 victory at home to play-off rivals Evesham United.

Evesham travelled to the Webbswood Stadium sitting third in the table as the best placed of the 10 teams who are still in with a chance of finishing inside the play-off spots come the end of the season.

However, Lee Spalding’s side were a class above right from the kick-off and easily bounced back from last weekend’s defeat to another top-six hopeful, Wimborne Town, to leapfrog the Worcestershire side in the table.

Marine got off to a dream start and broke the deadlock inside six minutes through Joe Selman’s close-range strike, and he then turned provider in stoppage time at the end of the first half as Brad Hooper doubled the advantage.

The hosts then confidently saw out the second period with little alarm to seal the victory, much to the delight of interim manager Spalding, who is at the helm at the Webbswood until the end of the season.

“I am really pleased with the players. It was a great performance,” said Spalding.

“I thought we started the game really well. In the first half we had three or four really good chances to score and were able to take a couple of them.

“I am delighted by the clinical edge we showed and delighted with the clean sheet too, so there were loads of positives. We were strong at both ends of the pitch.”

Wimborne have now moved up to third in the table following this weekend’s results on 56 points but anyone as low as Yate Town down in 12th on 48 points can still consider themselves in the race for the play-offs.

Marine are looking to make certain of their position over the final 10 games of the season and Spalding expects the race to go right to the wire.

“It is that tight at the moment that I don’t think this is a result that other people will really take note of,” said Spalding.

“Everyone is still beating each other and everyone is still in it. There are seven or eight teams separated by four or five points.

“Whoever can string a good run of results together from now until the end of the season will give themselves every chance of making the play-offs – and that is the aim for us.”

Marine are back in action on Tuesday night and face another play-off rival, sixth-placed AFC Totton, away from home.