The Hoops will bid to become the first team in the Southern Counties East League to complete the “double” over title-chasing Greenwich Borough when the sides meet at Dartford FC on Saturday.
Deal produced one of their best performances of the season when they beat Greenwich 4-3 in a thrilling game at the Charles Ground back in September, when Dean Hill (2), Ryan Philpott and Rene Rivera were on target for Derek Hares’ side.
It was one of only three league defeats that big-spending Borough have suffered so far this campaign, an impressive record which has left them six points behind leaders Hollands & Blair with a match in hand.
The Hoops go into Saturday’s clash boosted by their six-match winning sequence and Hares said: “The Greenwich game will be the biggest test of our good run, but the pressure will all be on them.”
Connor Coyne and Michael Yianni are both ruled out by knee injuries but Grant Bagley is available again after completing his suspension.
Greenwich are currently ground-sharing the Prince’s Park Stadium with Dartford, but next season they will return to their home borough when they start a ground-share with Cray Valley PM at the Badgers Sports Ground.
Deal Reserves are at home on Saturday when they take on Sittingbourne Community in the NRG Gym Kent County League (2pm).
2 Responses
Yes agree with Derek the pressure is all on Greenwich to close the gap on the leaders.
They have had a period without a game and with the introduction of two new players the onus is on them to produce what is required of them.
Deal however are enjoying a rich reign of form something that Derek has been working along with his coaches to get.
The lads know what they are capable of and have already beaten Greenwich.
I hope the game is on and will be there even though the entrance fee is over priced.
Come on Deal.!!!!
Good luck to the team today. It’ll be tough.
Entrance fee overpriced? Well,with an average gate of about 50 or so,and the fact that they have to ground share at Dartford FC(who probably expect some rent from them),they probably need every penny going! 😉
Interesting that they will be sharing at Cray Valley next year. What happens if they don’t go up? Will the main man withdraw his money? If that happens,watch the team leave for pastures new. If they do go up,will Crays ground be good enough for the Ryman?
And if they do ground share,what will happen to Erith Town FC,who share Cray at the moment? So many answers needed!
Watch this space.