Boss Steve King admits Deal’s defensive problems have been their main issue this season.

King’s 10th-placed Isthmian South East Hoops are on a three-game losing league run, their latest defeat coming 2-1 at Sevenoaks last weekend.

Deal have shipped 44 goals in 19 league fixtures - only basement boys Phoenix Sports and Hythe have conceded more - and have kept just one league clean sheet.

That’s a surprise, given they conceded just 45 goals in 40 league games on their way to being crowned last term’s Southern Counties East Premier Division champions.

“Our issue is we have got one of the worst defensive records in the league,” said King, who has vowed to stick by his squad until at least the end of this season. “That’s where our issues are coming from.

“We’re really disappointed with that - not just as a back four and a goalkeeper - but as a collective. We conceded five less league goals than Erith Town last year.

“Neither team has changed their defence too much and we have conceded twice as many goals as them!”

But Deal haven’t had too many problems scoring at a higher level, despite the recent unavailability of first-choice forwards Ashley Miller, Aaron Millbank and Rory Smith, with 11-goal winger Tom Chapman leading the way.

He was again on target at Sevenoaks, a game in which King felt the hosts were awarded a fortunate penalty for a foul by left-back Jack Penny.

On Chapman, the manager said: “He has been our best player, he’s an outstanding player. I’m not surprised by how well he’s done in the division.

“Half the battle is being fit and doing it consistently. Ashley Miller, Rory Smith and Aaron Millbank haven’t been able to do that - and even Wes Hennessey has struggled a little bit.

“Tom is the one who is doing it consistently. He will be a big part for the club over the next two or three years.

"We have Ash back now and Rory, hopefully, will be playing for the under-23s this week.

“I know there’s some very strong forwards in this league but, if we have Tom Chapman, Aaron Millbank, Rory Smith and Ashley Miller, that’ll take some beating.”

Interestingly, the Hoops are also yet to draw a league fixture this term, having gone down 3-1 at home to Ashford last midweek, despite skipper Macca Murray’s penalty.

“We always go and try to win games,” explained King. “On Saturday, we should have got a draw and, against Margate [in September], we should have got a draw but conceded a late goal.

“At Erith Town [in October], we conceded a penalty in the 94th minute. If we had turned three of those defeats into draws, things look quite a bit better.

"But I’m always a manager, with 20 minutes to go, who will go for it.”

Deal had defender Alfie Foster available at Sevenoaks after his early red card in last month’s 5-3 defeat at Eastbourne Town was overturned.

King said: “I’m pleased it was overturned because that was the correct decision so I’m pleased the FA made Alfie available for Saturday.

“But we don’t get back the 80 minutes or more at Eastbourne where we played with 10 men.”

The Hoops will host Phoenix Sports on Saturday.

Their weekend visitors have picked up just two league wins this term but look a stronger outfit under new manager Darren Anslow.

“Darren has signed a lot of players, a lot of experienced players,” said King. “They’re going to be fighting for their lives and it will be a difficult game.

“But our home record has been good, especially against teams towards the bottom of the league.

"We certainly don’t want four league defeats on the spin and we don’t want to lose to a team in the bottom four.”

Deal lost 2-0 at Isthmian Premier neighbours Dover in the Kent Senior Cup quarter-finals in front of a crowd of 1,219 on Tuesday.