Deal Town eyeing cup glory this season ahead of Kent Senior Trophy match against K Sports

Cup glory is being targeted this season at Deal.

The Hoops will host K Sports this Saturday in the Kent Senior Trophy before an FA Vase First-Round match against Division 1 Tooting Bec at the Charles Sports Ground the following weekend.

Deal, who were beaten 3-0 at Phoenix Sports in the Southern Counties East Premier Division last weekend, enjoyed their finest hour in 2000 when they won the FA Vase at Wembley.

They won the treble that season - including the league and Kent Senior Trophy - but their trophy cabinet hasn’t been needed since.

Deal manager Steve King would dearly love to win a cup - as well as mount a promotion challenge - this term.

“I have said consistently that I want to win a trophy,” said King. “The club is moving on at a rapid pace.

“But we have had one top-six finish in about 20 years and made one cup final in about 20 years. So we will take all the cups we are in seriously.

“We will be treating Saturday as we would a league game.”

The break from league action comes at a good time for Deal who have collected only two points from their last three games.

King said: “I think people like cup games, you get an instant reward.

“You cannot reach a target in the league by winning one game. Even if you do win, you are still 40 points - or whatever it might be - away.

“But the Kent Senior Trophy provides some sort of instant reward. Similarly with the FA Vase next weekend, if you get through, you can immediately look forward to the draw on Monday.

“We have been known as a bit of a cup side in recent years, which infuriates me, especially when we have been doing well in the league.

“But certainly, anyone will have to play well to knock us out.”

The Deal boss has also welcomed successive blank midweeks.

“We need