Deal boss Steve King is wary of FA Vase opponents Sporting Bengal United - no longer the whipping boys that they were in the Kent League.

United once went a whole season in the Kent League without scoring a point, conceding 160 goals in a 32-game campaign, but after a decade in the Essex League, the club are now a competitive side in the Eastern Counties First Division South - a step below Deal and the Southern Counties East Premier Division.

Their surprise 6-3 win over Deal’s league rivals Glebe in the last round caught the eye and King knows his men will have to be on their game this Saturday.

“You don’t get to this stage of the FA Vase without being a decent side,” said the Hoops boss ahead of their away trip.

“We will show them the utmost respect. Yes, they are in a league lower, step six, on paper we might be in as favourites but the last round Glebe would have been heavy favourites to beat them.

“I know they used to be known as the whipping boys in the Kent League but they won 6-3 at Glebe and their league form has been very good.

“We have done our homework, it will be a very tough game but it is winnable and one we’re looking forward to. We know we will have to be at our very best but we are confident that if we are it is a winnable game.”

Deal’s domestic cup objectives, meanwhile, remain on track with a 4-2 extra-time win over Glebe in the Kent Senior Trophy last weekend. They are eager for cup success and the Trophy is a realistic opportunity, having been knocked out of the SCEFL Challenge Cup at Lydd Town on penalties.

Riley Alford had put the Hoops ahead against Glebe, but the visitors struck back and with four minutes of normal time left they took the lead.

Billy Munday then scored to take the match to extra-time, where a Macauley Murray penalty and a Ben Chapman effort took them through.

King said: “We were pretty pleased with how we played but with our Achilles heel at the moment we gave two goals away and they went in front.

“It looked like we were going to lose, but from our point of view the equaliser was deserved and then we played very well in extra-time to go through.

“We have set a target in the two domestic cups, the Kent Senior Trophy and the Challenge Cup. A lot of good things have happened at the club in the last five or six years and the club still hasn’t been in a cup final for over 20 years.

“They are two realistic competitions for us. We have unfortunately already been knocked out of one in a bit of a debacle at Lydd and the Kent Senior Trophy for us on Saturday was really important and to be in the quarter-final of that is pleasing.

“Everyone knows that the FA Vase for Deal Town is extra special, we had a great run in it a couple of years ago when we went up to Newcastle (Consett) in the Fifth Round and we want to go as far as we can this year.”

Deal handed Alex Green his debut last Saturday, the young defender having joined on loan from Dover. He’ll be ineligible to play this weekend but should get plenty of minutes under King’s watch during his initial one-month stay.

King said: “[Dover manager] Andy Hessenthaler and [Whites’ academy manager] Mike Sandmann have done us a massive favour by letting us bring him in. He is someone I know well, he slotted in on Saturday and did well.

“It is a bit of a blow not to be able to use him this week.”