DAVE Webb believes his Swindon Supermarine side were shown the benchmark for what it takes to succeed in the Southern League Division One South & West on Saturday after they were swept aside 6-1 by visiting Salisbury.

Marine are enjoying a strong enough season themselves and have been pushing for a play-off spot for the majority of the campaign, but they were simply no match for Steve Claridge’s Salisbury at the Webbswood Stadium.

The Whites may only be fifth in the table but the success over Marine was their seventh in succession and Webb believes they are an even better side than current league leaders Hereford.

“It was a very difficult day for us and I knew it was going to be. Salisbury are on a fantastic run and have got quality players all through the side and they showed their class,” said Webb.

“They showed that if you are a non-league player and you train twice a week and turn up on a Saturday and play, that’s the level you have got to try to achieve if you are going to be successful.

“They are in the play-offs and will undoubtedly be there at the end of the season. If they continue to play like that, I wouldn’t want to be another side in the top five when the play-offs come around and have to play them because for me, they are the best side.

“Hereford were very good but Salisbury were as good, if not slightly better.

“We weren’t at the level that it takes to compete with them and that’s the one thing my players have to take from the game.

“They can go away and bury their heads in the sand, sit and sulk and think about where it went wrong, but if they want to be successful, that’s the level we have to reach.

“Clearly we weren’t at that level and that’s why we got well beaten.

“Fair play to Steve and his team. If I was a betting man, I’d have them down for promotion alongside Hereford and they deserve to do it with the performance they put in.”

Despite the one-sided nature of the scoreline, Marine were actually the first to strike in South Marston as Brad Hooper fired Webb’s side ahead after just 10 minutes.

Brian Dutton soon restored parity and Salisbury got their noses ahead at the break when Justin Bennett hit the back of the net.

It was one-way traffic in the second half, though, as Salisbury ran riot, with further goals from Tom Whelan, Taurean Roberts and Tom Wright’s brace putting Supermarine to the sword.

“If it wasn’t for Connor Johns in goal, it could have been a lot more than six,” added Webb.

“That’s not me being disrespectful to my team as we have been playing well and had a good season but we were below par and Salisbury showed their class and quality.

“They are a quality team and they have come and given us a good hiding. We got what we deserved.”