1 week Ago By [email protected] (Thomas Reeves)
Boss Steve King admits even he has been slightly taken aback by how well Deal’s forwards have performed this season. The Hoops are eyeing a top-10 finish in their inaugural Isthmian South East campaign as they eased past relegated Steyning Town Community 5-2 last weekend for a fourth straight win. They have scored a superb 83 goals from 38 league fixtures, led by 21-goal top scorer Tom Chapman.
Only leaders Ramsgate and Sittingbourne have found the net more regularly. “We back our forward players,” said King. “We knew, in our squad, the majority of our experience in this league was in our attacking players - and also we try to play attacking football.
“We probably weren’t expecting to do as well as we have done, going forward. “We could be on for 90 league goals this season! If I’m being honest, I didn’t expect us to concede as many goals as we have this season, either. “But for fans, they’re always going to prefer a 4-3 game to a 1-0 game.
” Chapman broke the deadlock at Steyning Town. Winger Ashley Miller, substitute Alex Smith and Archie Hatcher - an early replacement for defender Alfie Foster (ankle) - also got on the scoresheet, along with an own goal. King reflected: “It was a little bit of a banana skin with them being bottom and their relegation being confirmed on Saturday.
“But I was delighted with how we did our jobs. “We got another five goals and, now, we have got 16 in our last four games. “Possibly, we weren’t as good as we’ve been before, but we ended up with four under-18s on the pitch at the end.
That’s promising. “We’re looking to finish in the top 10 and, just a couple of weeks ago, that was looking unlikely.” It was a fifth goal since he arrived in October for young ex-Dover forward Hatcher, with Smith getting his second of the campaign.
“Alfie Foster got injured in the first 10 minutes so Archie was pretty much on for the whole game,” said King. “He has been unlucky. “He’s off to university in America and, where we’re looking at things for next season, he probably would have played more minutes if we were still really playing for something.
But his attitude has been outstanding. “It was good to see him get a goal and Alex Smith always gives us something when he comes on. “We were pleased for him to get a goal, as well.
” Another to make a substitute appearance was midfielder Daniel Gannon, the latest Deal youth-team player to be handed a senior chance. King said: “He only got 10 minutes. We try to make our under-18s and under-23s’ environments similar to the first team - but it’s not quite the same.
“Dan’s only a first year. With Jack Paxman suspended, we were a midfielder short and Dan certainly didn’t let us down. "I’m not saying we will see a lot of him in the next 12 months but, like Morgan Page and Zak Hammond, who have come through, he’s certainly another that could start knocking on the door.
” The Hoops will travel to third-placed Burgess Hill on Saturday after they lost 5-3 at home against them in January despite goals from Foster, Hatcher and Page. “It’s a massive test this weekend,” said King, who will see wideman Paxman return from a ban. “Apart from against Ramsgate and Sittingbourne away, Burgess Hill at home was one of the only other games that we were comprehensively beaten in.
“We lost 5-3, but we scored twice in the last 10 minutes when we were already 5-1 down. “We weren’t in great form at the time - we are in better form now - so we’re certainly hoping to improve our performance levels from when we played them at home. “We will see where that takes us.
” King also congratulated Whitstable and player-boss Jamie Coyle, with the Oystermen having reached the FA Vase final - now having gone two steps further than Deal’s quarter-finalists did last term. He said: “A massive well done to Coyley. “I know quite a few boys at Whitstable, and Coyley is a good manager and a good bloke.
“It’s tinged with regret because we didn’t get there last year but, hopefully, Whitstable can get the job done and it’s good that they’re playing AFC Whyteleafe. “Knowing both the squads, it’ll be a good final. “We’ll see if we see Whitstable with us at Step 4 next season, as well, which I’m sure will still be their ultimate aim.
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