Deal boss Derek Hares admits he may have to cut back on attacking flair as he attempts to stem the flow of goals against.

Hares’ side picked up a clean sheet on Saturday in winning 1-0 at Lordswood but he had to make sacrifices up front to shore up his defence.

Deal had conceded seven goals in their previous two encounters.

He said: "We’ve not had too many problems scoring goals and in the last two away games we’ve scored seven goals and come back with just a single point – that tells its own story. Our problem has been giving goals away and so to keep a clean sheet is always nice.

"We’ve more or less stuck with the same personnel but it’s a different system."

Mo Takaloo has been playing up front on his own with Scott Holden playing behind him and that’s helped tighten things up.

"We didn’t create as many chances but we had to do something. It’s possible that I will stick with that for the time being and see how it goes on Saturday.

"It’s not a system I enjoy as I would rather play two up front but we have to tighten up at the back and give the defence more protection."

Deal travel to lowly Holmesdale on Saturday and Hares knows another win could move them up the Bulmers Cider Kent League table.

Jake Eastwood and Jack Collins are missing through suspension and Michael Cassar is out with a calf injury.