Deal Town FC

MENS FIRST TEAM

Deal Town played Lancing FC on 10th August 2024 in the Isthmian League South East Division. Deal Town won three - one against Lancing in front of a crowd of 462 at the Charles Ground. The Deal goals came from Ben Chapman, Rory Smith and Ashley Miller.

DEAL TOWN 3 LANCING 1

It's been a long wait but the current Deal squad made sure that the Hoops' return to Step 4 Level in the 'Football Pyramid' was one to remember with this comfortable victory on the opening day of the Isthmian League South East Division season.

The last time Deal were involved at Step 4 Level was in the 1965-66 season when they were playing in the Southern League, at the end of which they were relegated to the old Greater London League before spending long spells in the Kent League and then Southern Counties East League.

But after winning the SCEL title in splendid fashion last season the Hoops are back at Step 4 Level and manager Steve King admitted that he could not have asked for a much better start. He said:

'Yes, really pleased. With playing the first game at home we obviously wanted to get three points on the board. Lancing are a decent side and they did well in this league last season (they finished 6th), so it was always going to be a good test but I think we were well worth the win.'

And it was a win which the Hoops had virtually sewn up by half-time after taking a 3-0 lead in front of a crowd of 462 at the Charles Ground - the highest in the Isthmian League South East Division on Saturday.

They went in front after 16 minutes when Rory Smith made a terrific left-wing burst before firing in a low cross which found Tom Chapman just beyond the far post, and his low drive was finished off from close range by brother Ben.

And the fact Rory and Tom were both involved in that opening goal was a strong indicator of how the rest of the first half was to pan out because their pace and skill down both flanks caused the Lancing back four repeated problems. They were both involved in Deal's second goal after 35 minutes and this time it was Tom who supplied the ammunition, delivering a cross which Rory despatched sweetly.

By this stage Hoops' goalie Adam Molloy had hardly been tested end and although he was finally called into action by a drive from Lancing's Billy Oliver it was Deal who found the target again four minutes before the break. Captain Macca Murray's defence-splitting long ball created the chance for Ashley Miller to turn inside his marker before curling the ball into the far corner.

Not surprisingly Lancers' manager Jamie Hollis made some changes for the second half and his side did look more organised without ever really looking capable of staging a major comeback. Steve King meanwhile was able to substitute all three of his front men at various times with their day's work done, and 'Kingy' added afterwards:

'Rory, Tom and Ashley have already proved in their careerst that they are Step 4 Level standard,  and I think what you are going to find this season is that they will have more space to operate. Last season a lot of teams were just happy to sit back and defend against us, but because we will be playing against better teams this season they will be looking to attack more and that will give our front boys more space.'

Although the Hoops did not add to their goal tally in the second half they still created a number of chances while the only concrete response  Lancing could manage was an injury-time penalty from substitute Nathan Lisbie after Ben Chapman committed a foul just inside the box. But the direction of the three points had already been decided by then.

Our Perrys Dover Ford man of the match was selected as Rory Smith.

Courtesy of Kevin Redsull

Deal Town Starting XI: Adam Molloy, Jack Paxman, Alfie Foster, Billy Munday, Tom Chapman, Macaulay Murray, Ben Chapman, Rory Smith, Alex Green, Ashley Miller, Josh Vincent.

Subs: Kane Smith, Zak Hammond, Kye Davidson, Wes Hennessey, Jamie Kennedy.

Deal Goals: Ben Chapman ('16) Rory Smith ('34) Ashley Miller ('41)

Referee: Richard Joss

Attendance: 462