Deal Town meet Corinthian in an early-season “mid-table battle” at the Charles Ground on Saturday (3pm).

Deal are lying 10th in the Southern Counties East League table with 13 points from eight games, while Corinthian are one place below them with the same number of points and matches played.

The Longfield-based club briefly led the table in early September but defeats against Sevenoaks and Lordswood in their last two league games has taken some of the wind out of their sails. Corinthian did however enjoy a 7-1 victory over Division One bottom club Gravesham Borough in a League Challenge Cup first round tie on Wednesday night.

Deal and Corinthian have already met twice this season in the FA Cup extra preliminary round in early August. After a 1-1 draw at Gay Dawn Farm the Hoops triumphed 4-1 in the midweek replay at the Charles Ground thanks to goals from Ryan Philpott (2), Sam Wilson and Steve Butcher.

Hoops manager Derek Hares said: “It will be a completely different game to our last one at AFC Croydon Athletic. They played the long-ball tactic but Corinthian always try to play football and, if we win, we’ll be well up there in the table.”