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Derek Hares has called on Deal Town to add goals to their fine play.
The Hoops are enjoying an excellent campaign in Southern Counties East, extending their unbeaten run to seven games with Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Fisher.
They also boast the second best defensive record in the division, with just nine goals conceded in 10 games.
But they’re the joint-lowest scorers in the top 10, with only 13 goals to their name.
If they could find the net more regularly, to go with their good work at the back, Hares feels Deal could challenge for the top six.
“Overall we’ve been playing really well,” said Hares, whose side are 10th in the table.
“Defensively we’ve been very solid, I’m just a little disappointed we haven’t scored enough.
“We didn’t have numerous chances at Fisher but there were two clear-cut, one was a really good save on the line and the other a header wide from a few yards out.
“We’ve had quite a few injuries but we’ve played well and to be unbeaten in seven with four wins, four draws and two defeats in 10 games isn’t bad going.
“We’ve not set up to keep things tight at the expense of scoring goals, it’s just the way it’s happened.
“We’ve not created loads of chances but the performances have been very good.
“Things can change very quickly but if we keep that up, and start scoring a few more goals, we could get in the top six.
“The good thing is, if you get it right defensively, you’ve always got a chance of winning if you get one or two goals.”
Deal welcomed back Macauley Murray and Jack Paxman from injury against Fisher but Ben Cardwell needs a knee operation and could miss up to five months, while Connor Coyne and Harry Alexander are also sidelined.
On the plus side, Kane Smith is available after a three-match ban when Deal go to second-placed Corinthian this Saturday.
Town have it all to do to extend their unbeaten run.
Hares said: “We always seem to struggle a little bit up there but we go there in good shape.
“People go on about Chatham and Sheppey but Corinthian are never far away.
“They’re just a good side, well-drilled and especially on their home ground they’re difficult to play against it because it’s such a big pitch.
“We’re seven unbeaten now so there’s no reason why we can’t go and get something.
“In the last game we lost, we were holding our own against Sheppey until we had a player sent off.
“We were winning at the time. I’m not saying we would have won but as soon as you go down to 10 men, it’s difficult.”
