We want to start how we finished the season, says Deal Town boss Derek Hares

DEAL TOWN boss Derek Hares says he is targeting a top eight finish this season.

 

The Hoops opened their pre-season campaign by losing 2-0 at home to relegated Bostik Premier side Margate yesterday.

Steven Watt’s side had to wait until the second half to win the game with goals coming from former Tonbridge Angels striker Sid Sollis and Sidney Warden came off the bench to head home the clincher.

Deal Town host their Vanarama National League neighbours Dover Athletic at The Charles Sports Ground on Tuesday night.

Deal Town open their campaign with a trip to their League rivals Corinthian in The Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round on 5 August 2017.

Kent club’s at this level hate playing each other in The FA Cup and The FA Vase and Hares is no different.

“I would’ve rather not have played a team in our league and of course I’d like to have been at home,” he said.

“They’re a decent side but it’s a winnable game and that’s the way we’re looking at it. We’ll just look to progress to the next round.

“It won’t be easy at all, there’s no easy games in this league, but we’re in there with a shout.”

Deal Town finished their last campaign in thirteenth-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division and Hares wants improvement this time out.

“We want to start how we finished the season.  We had two defeats in our last 16 games, I think, last year. If we can start like that, we were always playing catch up last year, so a good start and hopefully the club is definitely moving forward off the pitch as well as on it by the surroundings.

“Top eight finish really, as high as we can.”

It’s hard for Hares to bring players down to Deal Town and he says he has to find local players who can play at that level.

“Club’s like us in this part of the world, you rely on your local players, hoping there’s enough good local players that you can take in the side because trying to bring players here to play, if you haven’t got big finances, it’s a struggle.

“That’s always been the case with Deal at this level. What we’ve got now, we’ve got a good sprinkling of local players, a good group of young players and they’re blending in quite well. We’re quite pleased with how well it’s going.”

Visit Deal Town’s website: www.dealtownfc.co.uk