Forward Wes Hennessey backed to go on lengthy goalscoring run by Deal Town manager Steve King as they return to Isthmian South East action with matches against Sevenoaks Town and Eastbourne Town at home

Forward Wes Hennessey is being backed to go on a lengthy goalscoring run by Deal boss Steve King.

Hennessey struck twice when Deal were knocked out of the Kent Senior Cup on penalties at Sittingbourne after a 2-2 draw in early September.

Former Ramsgate forward Hennessy only has three goals to his name but he’s got the backing of King.

“I thought Wes was our best player,” said King after Deal lost 3-1 at Chatham in the FA Cup third qualifying round on Saturday. “He was an absolute handful for the whole game.

“Playing up front on your own in a game like that, he made stuff happen and ran his absolute socks off. He’s going to start getting goals.

“He’ll get one - and then he’ll get 10! With Wes, he’s changed his job so he’s available every game and training.

“You can see that because he’s found another level.

"I’m convinced he’ll score a lot of goals at this level. People forget he’s only 23.

“When we get him fully right - and you add your Rory Smiths, Ash Millers, Tom Chapmans, Ben Chapmans and Jack Paxmans - that’s where I think we have made a lot of progress.

“We’re getting there in terms of being a decent side.”

Deal put in a plucky performance at the Bauvill Stadium, leading through six-goal striker Rory Smith’s early goal, before Kevin Hake’s full-time outfit turned it around ahead of the interval.

King feels his players are now offering good enough performances to start climbing the Isthmian South East table after their disappointing early-season form.

He said: “We lost at Ashford (2-1) in the league a couple of weeks ago but I don’t know how. We played really well.

“To be fair to Lloyd (Hume, the Nuts & Bolts’ boss) that night, he said ‘Yeah, we’ve got away with one’. We were really good in the FA Cup games before