Cup glory is being targeted this season at Deal.

The Hoops will host K Sports this Saturday in the Kent Senior Trophy before an FA Vase First-Round match against Division 1 Tooting Bec at the Charles Sports Ground the following weekend.

Deal, who were beaten 3-0 at Phoenix Sports in the Southern Counties East Premier Division last weekend, enjoyed their finest hour in 2000 when they won the FA Vase at Wembley.

They won the treble that season - including the league and Kent Senior Trophy - but their trophy cabinet hasn’t been needed since.

Deal manager Steve King would dearly love to win a cup - as well as mount a promotion challenge - this term.

“I have said consistently that I want to win a trophy,” said King. “The club is moving on at a rapid pace.

“But we have had one top-six finish in about 20 years and made one cup final in about 20 years. So we will take all the cups we are in seriously.

“We will be treating Saturday as we would a league game.”

The break from league action comes at a good time for Deal who have collected only two points from their last three games.

King said: “I think people like cup games, you get an instant reward.

“You cannot reach a target in the league by winning one game. Even if you do win, you are still 40 points - or whatever it might be - away.

“But the Kent Senior Trophy provides some sort of instant reward. Similarly with the FA Vase next weekend, if you get through, you can immediately look forward to the draw on Monday.

“We have been known as a bit of a cup side in recent years, which infuriates me, especially when we have been doing well in the league.

“But certainly, anyone will have to play well to knock us out.”

The Deal boss has also welcomed successive blank midweeks.

“We need it to be honest,” he said. “We have not trained for three weeks.

“You are trying to get tactical information over in team talks. When stuff like Saturday happens and some players are not there until 45 minutes before, it becomes very difficult.

“We need to sit down and make a plan for the next couple of weeks.”

Deal’s encounter at Phoenix was due to start at 2pm but, amid traffic problems, kick-off was slightly delayed - and the away team’s plans were badly disrupted.

King said: “The preparations ended up being very difficult. The tragic accident on the A2 blocked everything up. We only got the kit about 45 minutes before kick-off.

“It was not ideal preparations. We are, obviously, used to travelling long distances but having to rush stuff was not ideal.

“But on the day, we lost to a better side. When you lose 3-0, you cannot have too many complaints or excuses, really.

“Phoenix are a good side, they will not finish where they are in the league.

“I said to the boys before the game, if we finish above them, I will be very happy.

"Going away to places like that, getting through the first 15 or 20 minutes is important but we didn’t do that. It made it a difficult afternoon.”

Deal have had some great recent attendances, though, and a crowd of 512 watched them beat Whitstable 2-1.

It’s a far cry from the sort of crowds the club used to get when King joined the club as a coach.

“We have been surprised in a really positive way at how big they have been,” he said.

“It shows a lot of local people are getting behind the side. The board is doing a lot behind-the-scenes - it helps us.

“Players want to play in front of good crowds. We don’t have a big backer but, if you consistently get nice crowds, it helps. It’s been fantastic.

“When I came to the club in 2015, the club was getting around 50 or 60.

“The reserves are getting more than that now!”

A crowd of 387 saw Deal draw 1-1 at home to Hollands & Blair last Tuesday, Alfie Foster equalising after Tom Walmsley put the visitors ahead early in the second half.