Deal's opening Southern Counties East League game of the season against Chatham on Saturday was abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch.

A torrential downpour, which included thunder and lightning, flooded the pitch at the Charles Ground in St Leonards Road.

The teams were level at 1-1 and while referee Michael Butcher delayed his decision until 15 minutes after the scheduled start of the second half he was left with no alternative but to call the game off.

It means the game will have to be replayed at a later date.

Chatham, under the management of director of football Carl Laraman and chairman Kevin Hake, had the better chances and more possession but Deal were in determined mood and took the lead from the penalty spot before the visitors levelled.

In front of a crowd in excess of 300 people, Chatham's Dan Bradshaw put an early chance wide from Harvey Brown's cross and Jon Pilbeam headed wide at the far post from Ryan Hayes' deep delivery.

Deal went ahead in the 20th minute. A Macauley Murray free-kick into the box was handled by the visitors and Murray, after a lengthy delay, stepped up to convert from the penalty spot.

Chatham were restricted to largely long-range attempts, including one from Luke Rooney that was pushed away by keeper James Tonkin.

But the visitors levelled matters 10 minutes before half-time when Brown's reverse cross was headed in by Liam Friend.

The rain got heavier almost immediately and while the referee got the teams through to half-time, there was no chance the game could have restarted for the second half.

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