The Hoops bowed out of the FA Cup in gallant fashion in Wednesday night’s thrilling extra preliminary round replay at The Belmont.

Trailing 1-0 at half-time to a 36th-minute Josh Burchell strike, Deal looked up against it when they conceded a second goal, scored by Brett Ince, just two minutes after the restart.

But three minutes later they pulled a goal back when Ben Cardwell ran through from midfield before firing home an unstoppable shot. And then substitute Charlie Walsh, who had replaced Connor Miller early in the second half, equalised with a superb 57th-minute free kick.

Whitstable then regained the lead midway through the half when Jordan Wright converted a Ricky Freeman cross, but still the Hoops kept battling away and they drew level again with Sam Wilson’s third goal of the season 13 minutes from time.

However, it was the Bostik League South East Division side who had the final word when Ince grabbed their 81st-minute winner with another long-range free kick, but Derek Hares and Co can feel proud of their team’s efforts over the two matches.

Deal: Tonkin, Chapman, O’Brien, Bigginton, K Smith, Scott (Brayne 71), C Miller (Walsh 52), Cardwell (Rodgers 81), Coyne, Wilson, Butcher.