Deal boss Steve King admits their Kent Senior Cup quarter-final at Dover will be a big occasion - but denied it’s their biggest match this week!

Isthmian Premier pacesetters Dover will welcome their Isthmian South East neighbours to Crabble.

There should be plenty of local interest in the match with some in Deal’s squad, including King - who had been on the terraces at Crabble before he headed into management - based locally and even working in Dover.

But the Hoops’ manager says their main focus this season is on consolidating a Step 4 status as they host basement boys Phoenix Sports this Saturday.

On the build-up to the last-eight fixture, King, whose team are on a three-match losing league run, said: “It’s been tainted a little bit with the results we have had.

“I would like to have gone into it with another six points on the board - but we aren’t.

“I would be lying if I said our focus wasn’t on Saturday. But once we turn up, it’s going to be a big occasion.

“As a group, ultimately, we have taken Deal to a place where we can play teams like Dover in competitive games. So, we’re going to enjoy it.

“I don’t know what Jake [Leberl, Dover’s manager] will do and how many changes he will make, but they’re going for it in the league and doing well.

“To play a cup game against Dover, unless it was maybe an FA Cup tie, we just didn’t think it would happen.

“But the bigger picture for us is the league and securing three points this week.”

Deal defender Alex Green and forward Archie Hatcher started in Whites’ Academy before heading to the Charles Sports Ground in search of more regular first-team football.

They suffered a 2-1 weekend defeat at Sevenoaks despite top scorer Tom Chapman’s first-half goal.