Injury-hit Deal Town slid to a disappointing 2-1 defeat at 10-man Slade Green on Saturday.

The home side, reduced to 10 men by the 70th-minute dismissal of Juan Ramirez with the score at 1-1, still managed to snatch the three points thanks to a goal five minutes from time by Jason Long.

Yet the game had started well enough for Deal after they went in front with 12 minutes through Roy Godden.

But seven minutes later Slade Green were awarded a penalty after Tommy Martin's shot was handled by Michael Cassar. Deal keeper Paul Rogers then pulled off a tremendoub block from Ramirez's spot kick, but the Colombian striker reacted quickest to lash home the rebound.

However, with 20 minutes left Ramirez was sent off for dissent and that seemed to offer Deal the chance of going on to win the game.

Instead it was Green who were galvanised by the loss of Ramirez, and with five minutes left Long showed great composure to finish off a Kris Hollidge through-ball.