Deal Town play their first game for a month on Saturday and their opposition could not be much tougher than high-flying Herne Bay.

Apart from leading the Safety Net Associates Kent League table, Bay are also through to the fourth round of the FA Vase after a 17-match unbeaten run stretching back to the middle of August.

Deal, in contrast, have lost six of the last seven games, so Saturday’s clash at the Charles Ground represents a massive challenge for Derek Hares’ side.

Hares said: "Herne Bay are going well and it’s going to be a tough game for us, especially as we haven’t played for a month.

"We were originally supposed to be playing Corinthian at home this weekend but now the league have changed it to Herne Bay without giving us any explanation and it’s a bit frustrating the way things have worked out, especially as Grant Bagley and Danny Smith are both suspended (on Saturday)."

Although Bagley and Smith will be missing, right-back Jordan Miller is set to return after recovering from a chipped ankle bone.

But striker David Cory’s brief return to the Charles Ground looks to have come to an end, with Hares saying: "David has accepted the offer of a new job in Norwich and so I don’t think he will be available for us again."

However, two of Hares’ other recent new recruits, midfielders Joe Hitchings and Jake Eastwood are both likely to start against Bay with striker Zach Thomas on the bench.