Faversham Town 2 Deal Town 4 match report: Aaron Millbank nets late brace for in-form Hoops after first-half goals from Rory Smith and Billy Munday at Salters Lane

In-form Deal secured a 10th straight win, earning a massive Southern Counties East Premier Division victory at frontrunners Faversham on Saturday.

The Hoops twice led in the first period thanks to goals from Rory Smith and Billy Munday, only to be pegged back by efforts from Sam Hasler and Stefan Payne.

But Steve King’s third-placed side got both second-half goals through a late Aaron Millbank brace to move within two points of Town - with four league games in hand!

It had taken Faversham frontman Payne less than 20 seconds to try his luck in front of a bumper crowd of 779, visiting keeper Henry Newcombe well behind his long-range effort.

But the Hoops drew first blood in only the fourth minute at Salters Lane with their first attack. Rory Smith steered in Tom Chapman’s low cross for his 10th goal this term after good right-wing play.

Six minutes later, home goalkeeper Lewis Briggs gathered a captain Kane Smith header from a Macauley Murray free-kick.

Town then levelled with 14 minutes played, as a training-ground routine led to midfielder Hasler unleashing a free-kick which took a deflection that left Newcombe wrong-footed for his sixth goal of the campaign.

Hasler almost turned provider three minutes later, with defender Matt Newman sending his corner inches wide.

But Deal re-took the lead midway through the first period as Munday powerfully headed a Murray corner beyond Briggs to once again spark big away celebrations.

The end-to-end nature of the contest continued when recalled Faversham player Rahman Kareem nodded a right-wing delivery against the crossbar before desperate Hoops defending did just enough to clear the ball.

But the Lilywhites made it 2-2 on the half-hour mark. Payne got on the end of a through ball