I think we'll hold our own and our aim is to finish as high as we can, says Deal boss Derek Hares

DEAL TOWN boss Derek Hares says he hasn’t decided which of his players will start against Erith Town on the opening day of the Kent Hurlimann Football League next Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.


Hares has one last pre-season friendly – at home to Ryman League new boys Hythe Town – on Tuesday night to fine tune his squad ahead of the opener against Tony Russell’s side.

Deal have played Norseman (2-1), Whitstable Town (1-0), Saga Sports & Social (0-1), Woodnesborough (5-0) and Bromley Green (5-1) in pre-season.

“I think it’s gone pretty well,” Hares said today.  “We decided not to play quite so many friendlies as we have done in the past.  We’re playing Hythe this coming Tuesday night and that will be our sixth friendly really.”

Hares added: “I’ve tried lots of players, a few players have come in and I’ve looked at them.  I’ve tried a couple of lads from the reserves because our reserves done very well last year and I’ve still not quite made my mind up.

“We play Hythe on Tuesday night and after that then I’ll decide on my final fifteen or sixteen for next Saturday against Erith.”

When asked about new players at The Charles Sports Ground, Hares said: “There’s one or two that I’m still looking at that I haven’t signed.  I’ve kept the majority of the players’ from last year and a few have come through from the reserves that have done very well actually.

“Tom Tsangarides from Ramsgate, who I’ve been looking at, he played yesterday (against Bromley Green) and it hasn’t really been too many.

“I felt we needed a couple of forwards, hopefully we’ve got them. Other than that, I’m quite happy with what we’ve got.”

After their home opener against Erith Town, Hares takes his side to Herne Bay on Wednesday, 17^th August.

Simon Halsey’s Herne Bay clinched the Kent League Challenge Shield yesterday after beating Kent League champions Hythe Town 5-4 on penalties after the game finished all-square at 2-2 after 90 minutes.

Herne Bay have finished runners-up in the past two seasons and have won back-to-back Kent League Cup titles and will be going all out to go one better and secure a long-awaited promotion into the Ryman League.

Herne Bay, Erith & Belvedere and Fisher are the club’s that should be challenging for the Kent League title this season.

“We’ve got a very difficult start actually,” admitted Hares.  “We’ve got Erith Town at home on Saturday and then on Wednesday night we’re away to Herne Bay and then we’re away to Ringmer in the FA Cup, so it’s quite a busy, hectic week and playing some good teams.

“I don’t know what Erith Town are going to be like this season, but Herne Bay are going to be strong.

“I think Herne Bay are obviously going to be one of the favourites. Erith Town had a good season last year (finishing in eighth place for the second successive season) and there’s no reason to think they won’t be this year – it’s going to be two difficult games.”

“We’ve got a couple of suspensions (Shane Suter and Jack Collins) that are carried over from last year, which doesn’t help our situation.”

Deal Town finished in eleventh place last season and Hares is targeting a top-ten finish this time out.

He said: “To be honest we’ve got a much younger side this year. I think we’ll more than hold our own and to really finish as high as possible, that’s our aim.”

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

Deal Town  v  Erith Town
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Saturday 13^th August 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
At The Charles Sports Ground, St Leonards Road, Deal, Kent CT14 9BE