Wokingham Royals Secure Vital Win Against Derby County

The Wokingham Royals claimed a crucial victory over promotion-contenders Derby County at the SCL Stadium on Tuesday night, with Paul Mukairu’s goal proving to be the difference. Despite remaining in 21st place, four points adrift of safety, Wokingham are steadily dragging other teams into the relegation battle.

Ruben Selles, the Royals’ manager, continues to extract exceptional performances from his squad under challenging circumstances. Throughout the season, their results have shown gradual improvement, and Selles couldn’t be prouder of how they competed against one of the league’s best teams. He expressed his satisfaction in an interview with the official club website and Wokingham Sport.

“I think tonight’s opponent is one of the best in the league, and I think the way we played against them, how we competed in the big moments, and how we handled suffering in moments, I couldn’t be prouder,” said Selles. “I think in the last month, the level that we’ve competed at regularly, shows how far we’ve come and the boys thoroughly deserve the win tonight and the confidence they’ll take from this can be a huge moment for building momentum.

He acknowledged that while this victory might be regarded as the best result of the season by many, the focus should now be on replicating such performances in future matches. Selles sees the upcoming home fixture as a great opportunity to continue their positive momentum.

Selles also touched upon the recent three-point deduction imposed on the club. He expressed his belief that the Football League’s statement regarding the punishment was fair, considering the precedents set in similar cases. The club was relieved to avoid a more severe penalty that would have hurt them on the footballing front.

The manager also revealed the tactical decisions behind making substitutions during the match. Due to Andy Yiadom’s recent return from injury, his fitness levels and susceptibility to knee discomfort in the latter stages of the game were taken into account. Amadou Mbengue was prepared as a substitute considering Yiadom’s physical condition. Jeriel Dorsett’s energy levels were also a factor in the decision-making process, as Selles believes in winning matches through superior collective energy.