Captain Kane Smith looks set to miss the rest of Deal’s season.

Defender Smith was forced off in Saturday’s 3-0 Southern Counties East Premier Division home win over Tunbridge Wells for the in-form Hoops.

“Unfortunately, it looks like Kane is done for the season with a groin injury,” said boss Steve King, whose team host Fisher tonight.

“With only three weeks left in the season, we’re still assessing it, but he certainly won’t be fit for Tuesday.”

While King didn’t completely rule out Smith returning for their Kent Senior Trophy Final against Punjab on April 16, the signs don’t look particularly good.

He said: “He has been outstanding. He’s a brilliant leader.

“He’s not the loudest, he’s not a shouty type, but he leads by example.

“He will be very important. We’re not a club where players get injured and you don’t see that player for a while.

“Plus, we have Alfie Foster - who is an outstanding centre-half - so he’s not a bad replacement.

“But we’re all gutted for Kane. We’re still hoping he may make the Final but it's a two-week turnaround.”

It’s 15 matches without defeat for Deal, who were put ahead early against Tunbridge Wells by right-back Joe Reeves before frontman Aaron Millbank bagged a brace.

King reflected: “It was one of our best performances of the season.

“Tunbridge Wells are a decent side and I think they’ve underachieved a little bit, to be fair. I think they’re probably a top-six side.

“So to keep a clean sheet, score three goals and win with a little bit of pressure on us - everyone knows we need to win every game - we were really pleased with the boys.

“That was a really big win.”

King also revealed he is related to Reeves as he praised the utility player's impact.

He said: “He has been at the club all the time I’ve been there. He’s actually my cousin!

“He will play anywhere, really. But this season, he has played a lot at right-back.

“Joe’s a vital player for us because he can play five or six positions, and make a difference off the bench, so I’m pleased for him.

“He doesn’t get many headlines, to be fair, but he’s a very important player.”

Millbank, meanwhile, produced the perfect response after he failed to convert a penalty in their draw with fellow promotion-chasing team Phoenix Sports last time out as he netted twice against Tunbridge Wells.

“Aaron gives his all every week and he’s a quality player," King noted. "We had a good conversation on Sunday.

“We’re, maybe, a little bit disappointed with his goal output but those goals take him to 17 and he didn’t have a pre-season with us.

“With six games to go, there’s a good chance he will get to 20 goals. With any striker, if you asked them, they’d take 20 goals in a season.”

This Saturday, the Hoops are to visit Erith Town who, like King’s fourth-placed troops, still harbour realistic ambitions of finishing in the top two. It's then back to the Charles Sports Ground to play strugglers Welling Town on Monday.

Ahead of the match against Adam Woodward's troops, King warned: “Let’s make sure it’s a big game.

“If we don’t win on Tuesday, it’s not as big a game.

“It hurt us, them winning 7-1 [on Saturday at K Sports] because we were outdoing them reasonably comfortably on goal difference.

“If we can win against Fisher and Erith Town, that puts us back in the box seat for second over Erith on goal difference.

“Before Christmas, I said, if anyone puts together a run, they get second - but three of us have done it! Fair play to Erith and Phoenix as well.

“Whatever happens in the next six games, we have built really well into next season.

“Since Christmas, we have, effectively, been in title-chasing form. That means next year we have every chance of being successful if we build on this.”

Midfielder Macauley Murray came off the bench in their win over Tunbridge Wells on his injury return.

Young frontman Lenny Atherton is due to be available to play for the Hoops against Fisher after his weekend substitute appearance for parent club Folkestone.

Deal Reserves beat Margate under-23s 3-2 in their Kent Intermediate Cup Semi-Final last Tuesday through goals from Josh Byford, Danny Maslak and Charlie Groombridge.

They will meet Rusthall Reserves at Sheppey on Wednesday, May 10 in the Final.