SWINDON Supermarine manager Dave Webb was left to rue a lack of cutting edge in his front line after watching his side miss a host of chances in their defeat against Yate on Saturday.

The 2-1 loss was the third consecutive home defeat and boss Webb said that his side are being punished for not converting openings into goals.

“We’ve lost here at the Webb’s Wood again, that’s three on the spin which hasn’t happened since I’ve been manager,” said Webb.

“We’re being punished for errors. It happens in football but we’re not being as clinical as we need to be in front of goal.

“Yate had two real opportunities to score and scored them both, we probably had four or five opportunities and only managed to get one.”

A brace from former Bristol Rovers and Port Vale frontman Lewis Haldane was enough to secure victory for the visitors in blustery conditions which made it difficult for either team to maintain control of the game.

Luke Abrahart, making his first start of the season, had headed Marine level in the first half, but Haldane’s second half strike allowed his side to return to South Gloucestershire with the points.

Webb’s side dominated the opening exchanges and should have been ahead after five minutes. Chris Taylor’s free kick wasn’t cleared and the ball eventually fell to Abrahart, who could only knock over with the goal at his mercy.

Five minutes later, Haldane put the visitors ahead by coolly chipping Kent Kauppinen after a Ross Staley through-ball.

Marine didn’t have to wait long to level matters as Josh Morse skilfully skipped past two defenders on the left and crossed to Abrahart, who nodded home from six yards.

As the half drew on, Marine looked more likely to score but almost conceded another on the stroke of half-time.

Haldane ran onto a through-pass while the Marine defence looked for an offside flag that never came, Kauppinen tipped the ball away as Haldane attempted to round the keeper and substitute Craig Curtis blocked the follow up on the line.

Haldane had been the dangerman all afternoon and he doubled his tally five minutes after the break. He capitalised on Dave Bampton’s slip and gave Kauppinen no chance when one-on-one to restore Yate’s advantage.

In a frantic search for an equaliser in the closing minutes, Mani Randhawa, Ash Edenborough and Rob Dean all had good chances to grab a point, but the elusive goal did not come and at the other end Jordan Rogers’ goal-bound effort was hacked off the line.

With the final kick of the match, stopper Kauppinen’s header from a corner found Dean unmarked in the box, but the midfielder failed to test the Yate keeper from 10 yards.

At the final whistle Webb credited Haldane, who retired as a professional in the summer, as the difference between the sides.

“He’s a good player.

“He took both goals brilliantly well and it’s a bit more quality in the final third that’s got them the points,” said Webb.

“Deano has had two good opportunities and put the ball wide, but that’s the difference.

“If those go in, we win 3-2 and we’re having a very different conversation.”