The Hoops rounded off their season in style with this convincing victory over AFC Croydon on Saturday.

The three points gained took their tally for the campaign to 60, 14 more than last season, and if Lordswood fail to beat Whitstable Town on Monday then Deal will finish in seventh place – six places higher than last year.

In front of an admission-free crowd of 219, Sam Wilson set the Hoops on their way after just four minutes, converting a Joe Reeves cross for the 23rd goal of his debut season for the club.

Playing their fourth match in eight days it gave the Deal players just the boost their tired legs needed and, with Reeves and Jack Paxman’s pace down the right flank posing familiar problems for an opposition defence, the Rams were happy to reach half-time with only a one-goal deficit, especially as Kane Smith saw his header from an Andy Miller corner hit the bar just before the break.

But within three minutes of the restart the Hoops doubled their lead. The goal was created by Connor Coyne who unselfishly set up Reeves to sidefoot home from close range.

Deal were now very much in the driving seat and their third goal followed when Smith headed home a 67th-minute Miller free kick.

To their credit, Croydon kept battling away and three times were denied any reward by fine saves from James Tonkin, and Hoops’ assistant manager Steve King “tweeted” afterwards: “Fantastic performance from the boys today to finish the season.”

Deal: Tonkin, Paxman, Hark, Bigginton (Hill 80), K Smith, Foster, Reeves, Butcher (C Miller 59), Coyne (Sahadow 75), Wilson, A Miller.