WOKINGHAM & Emmbrook FC manager Clive McNelly hopes their 4-3 victory over previously-unbeaten local rivals Woodley United will prove the turning point of their season, writes Dave Wright.

Since being relegated to the Uhlsport Hellenic League Division One East, the Sumas had not enjoyed the best of fortunes – hovering in the bottom three of the table and without a win at home prior to Saturday’s derby.

But after coming out on top in a seven-goal thriller at Lowther Road, McNelly said: “This will give the lads confidence and hopefully we can use it as a springboard to pick up a few more points and move up the table.”

He added: “I am obviously delighted, as it was a very good performance from the lads. They (Woodley) came here unbeaten and to inflict their first defeat was very pleasing.

“We have been playing as well as we did today for the best part of the season, but things haven’t quite gone our way. You can keep cursing your luck, but I always thought eventually it would change and it did.

“Being our first home win was really pleasing both for the team and for our supporters.”

Sumas move up one place in the standings to 11th, climbing moving above Rayners Lane, who lost 1-0 at home to Finchampstead.

“This side is too good to be where they are in the table – a lot of people are saying that,” said McNelly.

“Our immediate aim is to get up the table and after Christmas look at where we are and then see where we go from there.

“We have got some really good lads here and we are strengthening all the time. Hopefully, there is another new signing coming in who I think will make a massive difference to us and lift us again.”

After the game, McNelly was praised by club chairman Graham Tabor, who told the NewsNews: “I am very pleased with the result, especially for Clive as he certainly deserves this win for all the effort he is putting into the team.”

Tabor added: “The lads have been producing some great performances this season without getting the right result. They really dug in.

“Both sides played extremely well, but I think we just had the edge and that made a bit of a difference.

“There were some excellent individual performances, so all in all, we are over the moon.”

Tabor was also delighted with the crowd, adding: “We had more than about 130 here , so it shows what local football can attract.

“We even had the league chairman here and he was impressed, and we also had some of our youth players here, so that was really nice as well.”

The attendance of 137 was the largest in the whole of the Hellenic League, with the 103 who saw Premier Division leaders Thatcham Town lose 2-1 at home to Ascot United being the only other match to attract a three-figure crowd on the coldest Saturday afternoon of the season so far.