Steve King is looking for Deal midfielder Billy Munday to hit the goal trail once again after his weekend hat-trick.

Munday, their top scorer last season, hadn’t got going this term but bagged three on Saturday in their Kent Senior Trophy 5-1 triumph over K Sports.

“He got 19 goals last year but he hadn’t scored yet before Saturday,” said Deal boss King.

“But he got one in the first minute and then got a hat-trick of headers. Whereas last year everything seemed to go in, this year, it’s been the opposite.

"Hopefully that will kick-start a run of goals which will be good.”

Fellow midfielder Ben Chapman got the Hoops’ other two and has 10 goals this season.

King said: “He has had a very good start.

“First one, there’s a bit of controversy - Alfie Foster reckons he got his head to it. Then he got the fifth in added time.

“Our midfield and defence are contributing and it really does help because we know our forwards are going to score goals.

“There were four goals from set-pieces. That’s good because we have worked hard on that.”

It comes after they lost 3-2 at K Sports last month in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division.

King said: “It (revenge) was not our main motive. We knew they were a very dangerous side, their wingers are lively.

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“It was different on a grass pitch in October to a 3G. But they won 8-0 a few weeks ago (against Canterbury City).

“But once we got the opening goal, even though they got the equaliser, we looked good. Revenge was not a motive but it was nice to get the win after what happened in the league.”

Deal’s squad are starting to find their best form, although striker Rory Smith is back at Herne Bay after a dual-registration stint with the club while Rene Rivera has moved away.

“I think we have set very high standards because of what happened last year,” King said.

“The squad is still maybe a little unbalanced in terms of attacking players. We have lost Rene to university and we had Rory for a period but he has gone back.

“We are possibly still trying to get that side of it right but, if you have played eight at home, won six, drawn two and scored 25 goals, you aren’t doing too badly. So we are not a million miles off it.

“We want players that strengthen us but these players don’t grow on trees. The players we are looking for, I think everybody would take as well.”

There’s more cup action this Saturday as Deal host Division 1 Tooting Bec in the FA Vase First Round.

King said: “We are looking forward to it. We have got a week to prepare, we have had two blank midweeks now. Vase games are always massive at our football club for pretty obvious reasons and the last three teams to knock us out have gone to Wembley. We know a little about Tooting Bec.

“They have nothing to lose but we will prepare and, hopefully, be in the draw come Monday morning.”

The Hoops visit Bearsted in the league next Tuesday, 7.30pm kick-off.

King said: “We get busy again. We have got Bearsted away on Tuesday and, the following week, we have got Lydd in the League Cup.

“Everyone will need to be involved. I have got a lot of time for Kevin Stevens (the Bearsted boss) but we will focus on that one after the Vase game.”

There’s £825 up for grabs for the winners of Deal’s FA Vase encounter.