The Hoops suffered their first league defeat of the season at Sheppey on Tuesday night.
After Connor Coyne gave Deal a 16th-minute lead with a superb strike from Sam Wilson’s header the turning point of the game came when goalkeeper James Tonkin was shown a straight red card 20 minutes later for what the referee deemed a dangerous challenge in the Hoops’ penalty area.
It was a decision which seemed to be shared by few others in Holm Park, but it meant that Luke Bigginton had to take over in goal for the resulting spot kick from which Dan Bradshaw fired Sheppey level.
The Hoops’ management then decided to re-organise their line-up, with substitute Charlie Walsh coming on in place of Harry Alexander and taking over in goal from “Biggy”. But Sheppey now had their tails up and they went in front three minutes before half-time through Darren Cooper.
Bradshaw then added his second goal after 57 minutes but the Hoops’ 10 men never gave up and they were awarded a 68th-penalty after what looked like another questionable refereeing decision, only for Adams to see his effort saved by Sheppey keeper Dan Ellis.
And, although Sheppey were also reduced to 10 men when Cooper received a second yellow card eight minutes from time, Deal were unable to close the two-goal gap.
Deal: Tonkin, Butcher, O’Brien, Bigginton, K Smith, Scott, C Miller, Cardwell (Adams 61), Coyne (D Smith 78), Wilson, Alexander (Walsh 38).