Deal Town FC

MENS FIRST TEAM

Deal Town played Sittingbourne on 24th September 2024 in the Kent FA Senior Cup. Deal Town won six - one against Sittingbourne at the Charles Ground. The Deal goals came from Ife Oni, Aaron Millbank, Alex Smith and Billy Munday (3).

Sittingbourne have made a superb start to the new season, reaching the third qualifying rounds of both the FA Cup and FA Trophy. At first glance Deal's six-goal victory in this Kent Senior Cup first round tie must have been very special.

But while being highly satisfied with the Hoops' performance manager Steve King was quick to acknowledge afterwards that Sittingbourne are likely to field a significantly different line-up in their FA Cup clash with Plymouth Parkway this weekend.

Among the visitors' 'rested' players on Tuesday were former Hoops' striker Troy Howard and Mitchell May, who between them have already banged in 14 goals this season, and 'Kingy' said:

Sittingbourne have got a massive FA Cup tie on Saturday and so they've come down here with a weakened side. Don't get me wrong, their team still included some very good players such as Jay Beckford and Joe Boachie who were playing National League South and Isthmian Premier last season, and in a situation like tonight you are almost on to a hiding to nothing.

But I thought we were very professional and people have got to remember that we had two 17-year-olds in our starting line-up, Zak Hammond and Morgan Page, while Alex Smith was making his first start of the season and Ife Oni is still getting back to full fitness after his injury and so overall I'm very pleased.

And it was Oni, who in recent matches has been impressing when playing further forward on the right flank in place of the injured Tom Chapman, who fired Deal in front after just four minutes with a crisp low finish following a mistake in the Sittingbourne defence.

Oni continued to trouble the visitors with his pace, but eight minutes later Sittingbourne equalised through the lively Baylee Rowlinson,  and although the Hoops gradually took control before half-time with further goals from Aaron Millbank and Smith it seemed that Sittingbourne would still have something to offer in the second half.

But what they totally failed to do after the break was cope with Billy Munday's aerial ability. The midfielder, whose 21 goals last season proved so valuable for the Hoops, scored three times from corners, two of them with headers, to claim the MOTM award ahead of Oni and seal Deal's emphatic passage into the next round.

The Man of the Match, as sponsored by Perrys (Dover, Ford) was selected as hattrick hero, Billy Munday.

The Hoops will now face Hythe Town in the next round, following their 5-3 penalty victory over Sheppey United. A date will be communicated once confirmed.

The Deal team was: Molloy, Paxman, Penny, Hammond, Green, Munday, A Smith, Oni, Page, B Chapman, Millbank.

Subs: Davidson, Murray, R Smith, Miller, Vincent

Attendance: 314  

Report courtesy of Kevin Redsull

Deal Town Starting XI: Adam Molloy, Jack Paxman, Jack Penny, Zak Hammond, Alex Green, Billy Munday, Alex Smith, Ife Oni, Morgan Page, Ben Chapman, Aaron Millbank.

Subs: Kye Davidson, Macaulay Murray, Rory Smith, Ashley Miller, Josh Vincent.

Deal Goals: Ife Oni ('4) Aaron Millbank ('21) Alex Smith ('31) Billy Munday ('60, '80, '85)

Referee: Finnigan

Attendance: 361