Deal Town boss Steve King says striker Aaron Millbank will take their next penalty despite being denied from the spot in 1-1 draw with Phoenix Sports

Manager Steve King will have no qualms about Aaron Millbank taking Deal’s next penalty after he was denied from the spot against Phoenix Sports.

A fantastic save by veteran away goalkeeper Andy Walker thwarted striker Millbank in the first half of the top-of-the-table encounter between the teams as the Hoops trailed at the interval.

Deal levelled through striker Riley Alford and it finished 1-1.

On the penalty miss of Millbank, who scored for Herne Bay from the spot in last season’s Isthmian South East Play-off Final 2-0 success at Ashford, King said: “It’s football, isn’t it?

“He’s hit the target and the keeper, Andy Walker, made a good save. Aaron will be on them again, he’s a big-game player for us.

“Players in the Premier League miss penalties, players in the World Cup miss penalties and you cannot score every single one.

"He will be on one on Saturday if we get one and he’ll be on one in the Final [when Deal play Punjab in the Kent Senior Trophy].”

Having equalised, Deal threw everything at the visitors.

They even sent goalkeeper Henry Newcombe up for a late free-kick after Tom Hanfrey had been sent off for a second bookable offence, but there was to be no winner at the Charles Sports Ground.

“[It’s] mixed emotions,” reflected King.

“Obviously, we’re pleased with a point against a good side that are 14 unbeaten.

“We’re really pleased with our second-half performance. But we’re disappointed because we probably had to win the game.

"It felt a little bit like a defeat in front of a massive crowd.

“Ten games into the season, I’d have taken a point but, like when you lose in extra-time or penalties, that’s how we felt at the end of the game when we couldn’t find the winner.”

The match was played in front of a big crowd