Manager Steve King will have no qualms about Aaron Millbank taking Deal’s next penalty after he was denied from the spot against Phoenix Sports.

A fantastic save by veteran away goalkeeper Andy Walker thwarted striker Millbank in the first half of the top-of-the-table encounter between the teams as the Hoops trailed at the interval.

Deal levelled through striker Riley Alford and it finished 1-1.

On the penalty miss of Millbank, who scored for Herne Bay from the spot in last season’s Isthmian South East Play-off Final 2-0 success at Ashford, King said: “It’s football, isn’t it?

“He’s hit the target and the keeper, Andy Walker, made a good save. Aaron will be on them again, he’s a big-game player for us.

“Players in the Premier League miss penalties, players in the World Cup miss penalties and you cannot score every single one.

"He will be on one on Saturday if we get one and he’ll be on one in the Final [when Deal play Punjab in the Kent Senior Trophy].”

Having equalised, Deal threw everything at the visitors.

They even sent goalkeeper Henry Newcombe up for a late free-kick after Tom Hanfrey had been sent off for a second bookable offence, but there was to be no winner at the Charles Sports Ground.

“[It’s] mixed emotions,” reflected King.

“Obviously, we’re pleased with a point against a good side that are 14 unbeaten.

“We’re really pleased with our second-half performance. But we’re disappointed because we probably had to win the game.

"It felt a little bit like a defeat in front of a massive crowd.

“Ten games into the season, I’d have taken a point but, like when you lose in extra-time or on penalties, that’s how we felt at the end of the game when we couldn’t find the winner.”

The match was played in front of a big crowd with the club able to mark Non-League Day in style.

King noted: “It’s not just the 758 we got on Saturday. To average a home crowd of 440 is unbelievable.

“No disrespect to the division but not many travel. You’re lucky if there’s 10 away fans in some grounds.

“But everyone at Deal gives you a friendly welcome and we try to play good football as well.”

Little separates three teams - Deal, Erith Town and Phoenix Sports - behind Southern Counties East Premier Division leaders Erith & Belvedere.

But both of the Hoops’ main rivals have a game in hand which they are set to play tonight.

King expects Deal will need to be perfect in the latter stages of the season to pip them to the runners-up spot as they look to extend their 14-match unbeaten run.

He said: “I was asked last week ‘How many points would you need for second?’. I said, if you get to 80 points, you would be very unlucky not to get it.

"We have got six games left and, if we win all six, we could finish there.

"It’s a massive ask and we still have Erith Town to play. But our next two games are at home.

“If Erith Town or Phoenix drop points, we could be back in it. But we had to try and win on Saturday.

"In a way, it takes a bit of pressure off.

“People had written us off and quite rightly.

"Now, we can go out and play without fear and we still have the Final to come, so there’s still a massive month to go.”

Third-placed Deal are at home to Tunbridge Wells this Saturday and Fisher on Tuesday.

King said: “Tunbridge Wells will be a tough game, they’re a tough side.

“I think they will be a little bit disappointed with this season but Trevor McCreadie has scored a lot of goals all season.

“They’re the sort of side that shows how well we have done.

"In January, we were probably level on points with them.”

Deal Reserves beat Margate under-23s 3-2 in the Kent Intermediate Cup Semi-Final on Tuesday through goals from Josh Byford, Danny Maslak and Charlie Groombridge.