Whilst the battle at the top of the SCEFL Premier and Division One rumbles on, Kent eyes last weekend were focused in Somerset as Steve King’s Deal Town flew the flag in the last sixteen of the Isuzu FA Vase… and they did not let us down. 

Playing their first tie at this stage for the first time since Tommy Sampson’s side so gloriously won the trophy back in 2000, the Hoops scored in just the second minute through Tom Chapman, and when Rory Smith doubled the lead on twenty minutes, Deal appeared to be in control. 

But the home side who had knocked out much fancied Farnham in the previous round, came back into the tie and when Macauley Murray was sent off five minutes later, Deal faced playing the final half hour with ten men, and when the home side levelled twenty minutes from time, the writing appeared to be on the wall.

But the Hoops showed just why they are unbeaten domestically since August and took the tie to penalties where keeper James Tonkin was the hero – both saving and scoring – to see the Kent side through to a trip to Lincoln United in the last eight. 

Back at home, Glebe have extended their lead at the top of the Premier Division with wins over VCD Athletic and in form Bearsted. On Saturday, goals from Darion Dowrich, Jamie Coyle, Rodney Eruotor and Marcel McDonald saw off VCD whilst the leaders impressively beat the in form Bears on Tuesday courtesy of Dowrich and Malachi Morris.  

The lead is now ten points over Corinthian who went second ahead of Deal by winning 2-1 at rock bottom Welling Town. Dominic Wynter-Stephens put the home side ahead before Sam Bewick and Oscar Housego won the game for the visitors.

The three points lifted Corinthian over Deal and Faversham Town who suffered the surprise of the day when Lordswood won 3-2 at the Aquatherm.

Nicky Southall’s side have rallied of late and are just about hanging on to the Play Off chase as Alex Willis and Qadri Green put the visitors two up after only six minutes before Willis added a third before the break.

The side roared back after the break and despite goals from Stefan Payne and Warren Mfula, Faversham slipped to defeat. Lordswood followed up that win with another away from home on Tuesday when they won 2-0 at Stansfeld with Willis on target again along with Josh Reid. 

Rusthall are next to bottom after losing 3-0 at Bearsted who stay in possession of the final Play Off place – Jack Palmby, Joel Wakefield, and Louis Lovell the scorers. Stanfeld are a point better off than Rusthall after being edged out by Punjab United – Jack Mahoney levelling Cruis Nyadzayo’s effort before Chris Edwards won the game six minutes from time. 

Scott Porter’s new side beat his old side as Lydd Town beat Hollands & Blair 2-1 – Harvey Welford and Jack Nelson for Lydd with Devonte West replying – Snodland won 2-0 at Sutton Athletic thanks to goals from Robbie Bissett and Francis Babalola and an early Teddy Jones goal was enough for Fisher to win at Tunbridge Wells. 

We’ve also seen domestic Semi Final Cup action this week as the two finalists in the Kent Senior Trophy decided. Erith Town marched into the Final at the Gallagher Stadium beating First Division Larkfield & New Hythe 8-2. Harry Taylor netted a hat-trick, James Dyer added two, and there were goals from Ladic Malconian, Ollie Milton and Jake Lovell netted for the Dockers before Matt Day and Kwasi Appiah replied. 

In the Final they will play First Division Croydon as they created another upset by winning 2-1 at Whitstable Town. Ryan Hall and Ryan Palmer netted early second half goals and despite Harvey Smith pulling one back, Croydon held on to go through. 

The first legs of the League Cup Semi Final were also played in midweek, with Vase heroes Deal earning a slender 2-1 lead to take to Erith in the second leg – Smith was to put Deal ahead only for Dyer to level before Jamie Kennedy gave Deal a potentially vital lead.

In the other semi-final, an early Conor Driscoll goal gave Corinthian the lead against First Division leaders AFC Whyteleafe. It looked like the Leafe would “only” be one behind going into the second leg but Housego’s penalty and Jack Billings’ goal in stoppage time give Whyteleafe a real task to reach the Final. 

On Saturday, they had maintained their advantage at the top of the table with a 2-1 win over Canterbury, whilst Staplehurst stay second after beating Greenways 4-1. With Larkfield on Trophy duty, Rochester, and Lewisham all without games, six points now cover the Play Off places with FC Elmstead a further six behind.