Steve King is optimistic Deal can confirm their Isthmian South East status for next season by the start of next month.

Manager King reckons two more wins will ensure last campaign’s Southern Counties East League Premier Division champions don’t head straight back down.

They have back-to-back home matches against Sevenoaks this weekend and basement boys Steyning Town Community on Tuesday.

“If we win them both, I think we’re probably there,” said King, whose side will then visit struggling Phoenix Sports on Saturday, February 1. "That’s our aim.

"We always look to win our home games and, unless we’re playing one of the top four sides, we really fancy ourselves at home. It gives us a good opportunity.

“Sevenoaks are an in-form team and Steyning have had some good results recently, although I know they had a poor result on Saturday [losing 5-1 to Erith Town]. They’re fighting for their lives.

“So, they’ll be two difficult games but they’re two home games.

“If we get four points, that takes us very close and, if we get six points, I think we’ll have achieved the tally that’ll keep us in the division.

“We then follow that up with Phoenix away. They’re another side down there but who are fighting for their lives.

“For me, we’ve got three good opportunities to probably get those two victories we need.”

Marcel Nimani’s Sevenoaks side will look to do the double over Deal after they won 2-1 at Greatness Park in November.

They have been victorious in all four of their 2025 fixtures and have only been defeated twice since the sides met in west Kent, albeit they will be starting life without 17-goal Jefferson Aibangbee, who has left for leaders Ramsgate this week.

King said: “They’re a side that have been in good form.

“Obviously, we lost when we went there and we thought we should have got more on that day. We know their strengths.

“We know they’re very good going forward and they’re a side who, when they go on a run like they are at the minute, you can see them stringing four or five results together.

“They have really pushed themselves into the play-off picture. It’s going to be a really tough test but we know a lot about them.

“We know their strengths and weaknesses, and they’ll know our strengths and weaknesses.”

The ninth-placed Hoops were edged out 2-1 at Three Bridges despite winger Ashley Miller’s second-half goal last weekend.

“It was a frustrating day,” King reflected. “We played really well for 48 minutes.

“In the first half, we were very good - as well as we’ve played for a long time - and we got a great goal at the start of the second half. Then, we just went off the boil.

“They were probably the better side for the rest of the game and, obviously, they’re in good form.

“They have got a lot of their side back that got in the play-offs last year and they’re a decent outfit.

“But from the position we were in, it was very disappointing to not pick up at least a point.

“To be fair after they equalised, I felt they were deserving of their victory. But we should have done more in the first half in terms of goal creation and scoring when we were very good.

“The performance wasn’t bad but we didn’t get the result we should have done, based on what we did.”

The Hoops are yet to get their first point of 2025 from three league matches.

But King stated: “For me, it’s one defeat on the bounce.

“We started a little run of games on Saturday.

"We looked at our next four fixtures and set a points target for it - that we can still reach - and the first game hasn’t gone the way we wanted.

“I don’t get involved too much in those sorts of runs, whether you have won or lost one, two or three on the bounce, because it’s dictated by your fixtures.”

Midfielder Tommy Lamb is due to return to the United States soon but remains at Deal’s disposal for now.

“He’ll still be around for another couple of weeks so that’ll be good,” said King.

“He’s been a bit of a stand-out performer for us since he’s been back.”