While Ton started brightly - and led on four separate occasions - defensive lapses in the last fifteen minutes would ultimately see the visitors run out victors.

Dan Scorer shuffled his pack in going into the fixture without the services of Harry Stow, Gary Clarke, Craig Calvert, Charlie Owen and Dale Horton - welcoming back George Latham, with starts also for Tom Barnes, Luke Hughes, Robert Greenfield and Ryan Philpott.

Gary Lockyer (pictured) gave Ton the lead on nine minutes from the penalty spot following a handball, but Deal were level ten minutes later - Macauley Murray with neat control and curling finish from the edge of the box beating Barnes.

Kennington were then indebted to their goalkeeper on the half-hour, reacting quickly to pull off a magnificent triple save to deny the Deal forward line from close range.

A wonderful lofted through ball from Adam Phillips set Lockyer on his way to strike past Deal's advancing goalkeeper two minutes before the break, however the sides were to go in all square as barely a minute later, Dave Pilcher got on the end of a cross from the left to tap home at the far post.

Ton started the second half positively, and were rewarded with a third - Phillips again the provider, this time from a corner - headed home powerfully by George Latham at the near post.

Connor Coyne slid home on 53 minutes to level once more, but Kennington again took the initiative and re-gained the lead - Sam Brown's free-kick from distance spilled by the goalkeeper and into the net.

A headed double from Louis Tumilty would then give Deal the impetus going into the final ten, with Harry Alexander hitting a smart volley into the corner three minutes from time to give Deal their sixth of the afternoon.

Our thanks to Deal for providing us with more useful minutes, we wish you well for the season ahead.

We travel to K Sports on Wednesday evening (7.45pm), with our final warm-up fixture at Bearsted on Saturday (July 27), 3pm k.o before the SCEFL Division One campaign kicks-off at FC Elmstead on August 3.

TON: Barnes, Hughes, Greenfield, Phillips, Penfold, Tomsett, Brown, Latham, Philpott, Lockyer, Conlon. Subs: Tutt, Scorer, Donnelly, Negus, Harris, Finch.

Main Article Photo: Ian Scammell