Deal Town boss Steve King on lengthy run of matches at Charles Sports Ground as Hoops prepare to take on Sheppey United in FA Trophy and start league home fixtures against Merstham

Manager Steve King is excited ahead of Deal’s lengthy run of home matches.

The Hoops will host Sheppey United in an FA Trophy second qualifying round tie on Saturday before a run of three successive home Isthmian South East fixtures begins against Merstham at the Charles Sports Ground on Tuesday.

Deal started the run of games on home soil in midweek with an 8-7 loss on penalties against Isthmian Premier Chatham in the Kent Senior Cup.

It finished 2-2 after Chatham scored a 90th-minute equaliser. Two-goal Ashley Miller, the first a penalty in first-half injury time, netted for Deal.

“It helps,” said King, of the club’s lengthy run of home matches. “We have played four league games, three of them have been away. All three have been on 3G pitches.

“We don’t necessarily build a squad to play on 3G pitches.

"This year, I think we only play 12 of our 42 games on 3G pitches - and we’ve already played three of them. Our home record is good.

"It’s disappointing that we have lost a couple of games but they have been against tough opposition.”

While league points are probably the priority for the Hoops, who have taken only one point from their first four fixtures, the Sheppey clash does provide the club with a chance to make history. They have never gone further than this stage of the competition - being knocked out twice by Ashford United - with £2,250 up for grabs.

King stated: “I look forward to every game.

“We’ve not progressed past this stage in the two years we have been involved since we got promoted.

"There’s some decent prize money available. For a club like ours, that’s really important.

“Sheppey are a good side. They’re pretty much the opposite to us where they’ve had a complete overhaul over the summer.

“Yes, we would