Woodbridge Town boss Jamie Scales is hoping an early start and some early points can kick-start a successful Woodpeckers’ season.

The Notcutts club begin their 2017/18 campaign tomorrow afternoon at Wisbech St Mary – one of three Thurlow Nunn First Division fixtures.

Scales’ team missed out on promotion last season by one place as Coggeshall, Haverhill Borough and champions Stowmarket Town took the top spots.

It was a disappointment for the ‘Peckers, but Scales believes his team are in just as good a shape as last season.

“We’ve been preparing well and we’ve kept the same squad from last year, with the addition of Kelsey Trotter, who is an excellent signing for us,” Scales said.

“We have started training early this season and doing double sessions each week too.

“I wanted us to keep the momentum of what we achieved last season going because we have a good camaraderie among the players.

“At the end of last season we held a meeting to decide what we wanted to do and sticking together was a big part of that. I’m looking forward to the season ahead.”

It’s an earlier than usual start for non-league football and rarely has the season started in July.

But Scales is happy for his side to take that, hoping some early points can give his team a leg up.

“It will be a tough trip to Wisbech, we know that,” he said.

“But if we can get a win there and beat Needham Market Reserves at home on Wednesday night, that would be a great boost for us and six points on the board would give us a head start.

“But it will be another very competitive league.

“I don’t think it will be won by as many points as it was won last season. I think lots of clubs will take lots of points of each other. It’s a strong league and that is what you want.”

As well as Trotter, Woodbridge have Callum Sinclair back and raring to go again this season after he missed much of last year.

Ben Garnham, however is injured.

“We have no targets,” Scales said. “It would be nice to get off to a good start.”

Holland travel to March and Needham Reserves travel to Swaffham in the two other games.