Deal Town manager Steve King on FA Cup 2-1 home defeat to Southall and looks forward to FA Trophy game at Binfield this Saturday

Boss Steve King is remaining level-headed as Deal look to kick-start their season.

The Hoops were knocked out of the FA Cup at the preliminary round stage last weekend, losing 2-1 at home to Isthmian South Central side Southall.

Deal also suffered an opening-round 4-2 Isthmian South East derby defeat at much-fancied Faversham last midweek but long-serving manager King knows there is no cause for panic, with early-season matches coming thick and fast.

King said: “Last year, we lost our first three league games and ended up coming eighth.

“In the year we won the [Southern Counties East Premier Division] league, we didn’t start great. You just need to get the performances right and, if you do that, the results will tend to follow.

“Even if that doesn’t happen in the short term, we’re confident it will happen over the medium term and long term.”

King’s men found themselves 2-0 down against Southall in front of a 503-strong crowd at the Charles Sports Ground before substitute Jamie Kennedy’s second-half strike proved a consolation.

“It’s always frustrating when you don’t get the result you want,” admitted King.

“Obviously, we’re disappointed to go out of the FA Cup. But to be fair to Southall, they came sixth at Step 4 last year and they’re a strong side.

“It’s the sort of game we would expect if we played a top-six or top-seven side in our league. They, ultimately, got the ball into the back of the net - and we didn’t do that enough.

“We have had three absolute screamers scored against us in the past week. We then had a go in the second half and, probably, could have got an equaliser.

“It’s hard to know what to expect when you play teams from other leagues, but it was a game I expected to be very even and it turned out to be