Deal Town's poor end-of-season form continued as they slipped to a 3-1 defeat at Croydon in the Bulmers Cider Kent League Premier Division Saturday.

Although manager Derek Hares was pleased with Town’s second-half performance, his side paid the price for two mistakes – one in either half.

Deal took the lead after 16 minutes gone when Mark Pollard pulled the ball back for Aaron Robinson to strike home from just outside the area.

The visitors were on top for the opening half-hour but then a misjudgement by goalkeeper Paul Rogers gifted Croydon their equaliser.

Tony Atkins’ shot was going wide but Rogers still dived to collect and the ball bobbled up and hit his arm before deflecting into the net.

That gave the home side the lift they needed and Croydon edged in front just before half-time through Ron Freeman.

Deal played with more fluency in the second half and always looked capable of getting back on level terms but they couldn’t find the necessary spark in front of goal and Atkins rubbed it in with his second goal in injury time following a mistake by Adam Govey.