Deal Town FC

MENS FIRST TEAM

Deal Town played Sheppey United on 21st December 2024 in the Isthmian League South East Division. Deal Town won three - one against Sheppey at the Charles Ground. Three second-half goals saw Deal come from behind to beat Sheppey for their third straight win on Saturday.

Gil Carvalho put the Ites into a first-half lead during the Isthmian South East match but Deal’s top scorer Tom Chapman equalised. Defender Alfie Foster and substitute Rory Smith also struck after the restart as it finished 3-1 to the Hoops.

Home manager Steve King gave a start to ex-Gillingham midfielder Lamb, with Max Niblett also coming into the team, having recently returned from university.

Among those to drop out of the Hoops’ starting line-up from last weekend’s 2-1 away win over AFC Croydon were left-back Jack Penny and young forward Archie Hatcher, who dropped to the substitutes’ bench.

Deal had started well at the Charles Sports Ground as a couple of left-wing crosses from defender Alex Green caused problems. Centre-back Lekan Majoyegbe appeared to head a ninth-minute free-kick straight at home keeper Adam Molloy in front of a crowd of 548. Visiting goalkeeper Aiden Prall then had to be at his best to deny Tom Chapman on 18 minutes after a one-two with fellow forward Ashley Miller, Prall tipping over.

He once again had to be alert to gather Hoops captain Macca Murray’s corner under severe pressure on the half-hour mark as the wind continued to take hold. But it was Ernie Batten’s side who went in front in the 41st minute. Moments after he had whipped in a dangerous right-wing cross which youth-team forward David Johnson couldn’t quite get on the end of, Carvalho stabbed home a delivery from the other side via Molloy’s left-hand post for his eighth goal this season.

The home team went close to an equaliser, six minutes after the restart, as the rain started to bucket down. A Murray free-kick found its way through to Ben Chapman but he shot wide of Prall’s left-hand post.

But three minutes later, they did level. Winger Tom Chapman’s goal started the comeback as he scored his 15th of the campaign and his sixth in as many games. Miller stood up a cross from the right flank to a queue of players at the back post and Chapman got enough on his header to find the net despite the best efforts of Prall. It was his 15th goal this term and his sixth in as many games.

Deal almost instantly went in front shortly before the hour mark, Miller not able to make contact with right-sided man Jack Paxman’s cross. They were able to complete a third turnaround in as many matches, however, as a towering header from sponsors’ man-of-the-match Foster beat Prall for his first goal of the campaign.

Aiming to establish a two-goal cushion, Paxman’s 65th-minute header from a high Murray left-wing cross that had caught the wind whistled wide of Prall’s right-hand post.

Molloy was called into action to collect away attacker Carvalho’s 20-yard shot before Prall parried away Murray’s free-kick to keep his team in it with 71 minutes played.

Five minutes later, Johnson made contact with a high left-wing ball into the penalty box, only to direct his effort off target. But the Hoops went two goals to the good in the 86th minute as substitute Rory Smith turned to get on the end of Ben Chapman’s header and blasted past Prall.

Midfielder Tommy Lamb came close to a debut goal as his long-range effort crashed against the crossbar. But eighth-placed Deal had done enough to move within three points of the sixth-placed Ites - albeit they have played two league fixtures more than them - while Sheppey’s winless run extended to three games.

On reflection, Steve King was not overly impressed with the first half performance:

We weren’t brilliant in the first half. Obviously going into the elements, we knew it wasn’t going to be easy but we probably went a little too direct. It was my fault, really, because we sort of set-up to be quite direct. I thought they defended quite well and we didn’t really get much change out of them, apart from the one chance when Tom Chapman went through and the keeper (Aiden Prall) made a good save.

The performance appeared compounded when conceding too:

It was a really sloppy goal for us to concede before half-time. Then, you come in and think ‘Ooh, this is going to be difficult’ - but I thought, in the second half, we were excellent. I always fancied us if we got to 1-1, having won our last two games, coming from behind.

Manager King ended up happier second half and begun with praise for TC's equalising goal:

He’s just flying. Like I said in the week, even if he scored two goals in a season, I’d still play him in every game because of what he offers you in terms of assists. But this is probably not far off his best goal-scoring season of his career. He’s been fantastic. He’s a brilliant leader for us and he gives everything in every single game. Him and his brother, Ben, were fantastic. Every single week for years now, you just know what you’re going to get from them. Players like that are worth their weight in gold.”

There was also credit for returning student Max Niblett, as well as debutant Taylor Lamb:

Max’s very versatile. He’s a physical, strong, boy. If he was here, he would probably play every week. But his studies are important and we support him in that. Tommy, we have only got him until the start of February. He’s back from America for an extended break. He has just finished his season over there pretty recently. He’s fit and ready to go and we felt, if we’re going to bring him in for six weeks, we might as well get him out on the pitch. We're not the sort of side that brings in a lot, but it just freshens everybody up. The midfielders are now going ‘Okay for the next six weeks, we have got another good midfielder in now so I might have to find another five or 10 per cent in my own game.’ That’s good all-round. I’m really pleased with the squad and the depth.

Deal Town: Molloy, Paxman, Foster, Lamb (A.Smith 89mins), T.Chapman (Oni 90mins), Murray (Hatcher 87mins), B.Chapman, Niblett (Hennessey 76mins), Green, Miller (R.Smith 64mins), Vincent.

Sheppey United: Prall, Majoyegbe, Taylor, Goueth (Mbambo 78mins), Lambert (Barnes 89mins), Carvalho, Wyborn, Diallo, Johnson, McLeod (Aiye 69mins), Olorunnisumo (Singa 81mins). Sub not used: Opoku.

Referee: Josh Williams.

Attendance: 548.

Photos sourced at @Marc280684

SOURCE: Tom Reeves, Kent Online Sport.

Deal Town Starting XI: Adam Molloy, Jack Paxman, Alfie Foster, Taylor Lamb, Tom Chapman, Macaulay Murray, Ben Chapman, Max Niblett, Alex Green, Ashley Miller, Josh Vincent.

Subs: Rory Smith, Wes Hennessey, Ife Oni, Archie Hatcher, Alex Smith.

Deal Goals: Tom Chapman ('55) Alfie Foster ('61) Rory Smith ('86)

Referee: Williams

Attendance: 548