Deal Town manager Steve King on two-goal Ife Oni’s performance in 3-0 win against Hythe Town and three tough matches in seven days

Ife Oni took his chance for a depleted Deal team in their weekend win.

With a host of attacking options unavailable, teenage right-sided player Oni was handed an Isthmian South East start, netting twice in the first half of the 3-0 home victory against Hythe, with the Cannons also having defender Ollie Gray red-carded before the break.

Deal manager Steve King said: “Ife has been a little bit unlucky. We haven’t had a problem scoring goals.

"Pretty much every time he has played in cup games, he’s scored. But our forwards have been playing well.

"We then had five out on Saturday. That gave a chance to Ife, with Tom Chapman moving centrally.

“But you need strength-in-depth - and we have certainly got that.”

Oni, who was formerly part of youth teams at Charlton and Birmingham, has six goals this term.

Two-goal Deal player makes team-of-the-week

But all of them had come in either the Velocity Cup or the Kent Senior Cup before the victory over Hythe.

“Just with the shape we play, he’s in direct competition with Tom Chapman,” explained King, who hopes to have forward Aaron Millbank (injury) and winger Ashley Miller (away) back soon.

“Tom Chapman has been outstanding and he got three assists again on Saturday. Ife is just competing in a position where our best player at the minute is playing.

“But as I’ve said to Ife, you never know what happens in football. One injury or suspension and you can end up playing seven or eight games in a row.

“Ife did well on Saturday - but that certainly didn’t surprise any of us.

“He has the shirt now so we will see what happens.”

Fellow teenager Archie Hatcher then rounded off the Hoops' victory in front of a crowd of 605 at the Charles Sports Ground with the third - his first club goal.

“He