The Hoops twice came from behind to earn a point against “bogey side” Lordswood on Monday.

Derek Hares’ side had failed to beat the Chatham outfit in any of their previous six meetings and they made the worst possible start to this latest encounter, falling behind after just two minutes when Mike Freiter fired home.

The rest of the half was then evenly contested, with both sides creating chances, but it remained 1-0- to Lordswood until 11 minutes into the second half when new signing Harris Rodgers equalised from just inside the box.

It was now anybody’s game and Lordswood regained the lead when Joe Kane headed home from a 73rd-minute free kick, but Deal kept battling away and got their reward when skipper Luke Bigginton headed in a corner eight minutes from time.

Hoops’ head coach Steve King “tweeted “afterwards: “Good character from the boys today to come from behind twice against a good Lordswood side.”

Deal: Tonkin, Butcher (Howard 29), O’Brien , Bigginton ( Cap ) K Smith, Scott, Brayne (Reeves 75), Foster (Brisley), Coyne, Rodgers, Adams.