Deal Town FC

MENS FIRST TEAM

Deal Town played Sevenoaks Town FC on 25th January 2025 in the Isthmian League South East Division. Deal Town won three - one against Sevenoaks in front of a crowd of 473 at the Charles Ground. The Deal goals came from Macaulay Murray, Ashley Miller and Alfie Foster.

Deal notched up their first victory of 2025 at the Charles Ground on Saturday and they did it in style with one of their best performances of the season so far.

Beaten in their previous three games, the Hoops finished worthy winners against an in-form Sevenoaks side who were looking for their fifth successive victory, and afterwards delighted Deal manager Steve King said:

I never like criticising the boys because I think they are a great bunch, but in the last few weeks I think we have felt a little bit sorry for ourselves. Yes, we've played some good teams, but when we lost 5-3 here to Burgess Hill we felt we had let everybody down and I said to the boys before today's game that the least we needed to do was to show what we are about in terms of our spirit and determination, and I think we did that with what was a great team effort.

That was certainly the case because it was one of those matches in which at least half a dozen Deal players all posted a strong case to collect the Man-of-the-Match award, eventually awarded to skipper Macca Murray, and every member of the side played their part against opponents whose early confidence gradually slipped away as Sevenoaks realised that this wasn't going to be their day even though they went in at half-time still on level terms.

And even that shouldn't have been the case as far as 'Kingy' was concerned. The Hoops' manager was convinced that Sevenoaks were able to draw level just before the break thanks to being awarded a 'soft' free kick on the edge of the Deal area which was sweetly despatched by Rodney Eruotor past unsighted 'keeper Adam Molloy.

That cancelled out the one-goal lead the Hoops had been given by Murray's 31st-minute penalty awarded by referee Scott Rudd after Ash Miller was fouled just inside the Sevenoaks penalty area, and at which point the big visitors' backline was starting to look unsettled by the pace and footwork of front men Miller and Rory Smith, while in midfield Murray and the Chapman brothers, Ben and Tom, were also producing strong performances.

That pattern continued into the second half with the Hoops forcing a series of corners and free-kicks which saw them regain the lead when, following a 66th-minute long throw by Jack Paxman, the ball eventually fell at the feet of Miller who fired home his sixth goal of the season.

And four minutes later Deal took a real grip on proceedings with a third goal, this one provided by central defender Alfie Foster after he had gone forward to attack a Jack Penny corner.

To their credit Sevenoaks did respond with a bit of late resistance but with manager Marcel Nimani now missing his leading scorer Jefferson Aibangbee, following the striker's midweek departure to Ramsgate, the visitors were unable to cut into Deal's lead and so 'Kingy's' men duly collected the three points which saw them jump back over above Sevenoaks in the league table.

SOURCE: Kevin Redsull

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

Subs: Jack Penny, Morgan Page, Owen Wilkinson, Ife Oni, Jamie Kennedy.

Deal Goals: Macaulay Murray ('32) Ashley Miller ('66) Alfie Foster ('70)

Referee: Rudd

Attendance: 473