Derek Hares wants his Deal players to cast their minds back to the summer and recapture the form which saw them go to the top of the Safety Net Kent League Premier Division.

Town won five and drew one of their opening eight games, even winning at title-chasing Hythe, and briefly topped the table in October before a dip in form saw them slip down to mid-table in the following month.

Hares, pictured, says the weather-enforced six-week break means when they return to action at Norton Sports on Monday, January 3, it will be like the first game of a new season.

Hares said: "We started the season well and everything was going fine. Then we had five or six results which were simply not good enough in November and haven’t played at all in December."

He added: "We have still got some good players and I have no doubt that if we can get a run going, then we can get back in the top six. Hopefully, we can start in the same way that we began the season."

Grant Bagley and Danny Smith will miss the Norton trip through long-awaited suspensions.

Deal's scheduled friendly against Whitstable on Thursday has been switched from The Belmont to the Charles Ground.