Despite a long struggling and leggy 90 minutes for Hendon FC, a Niko Muir-Merchant strike in the 76th minute, secured a vital win in the battle to avoid relegation.
From kick off, both teams struggled to get a foothold in the game. Hartley pressed hard with their quick forwards, but were unable to make their pressure count. Hendon on the other hand, fresh from their win against Brentford but somewhat off the pace today, struggled to build anything of their own. Screams from both benches and from the crowd said the same thing, neither team was playing well.
Despite difficulty in keeping the ball, the home team were first to create a clear-cut chance. Muir-Merchant laying off the ball to Joseph White, who blasted it over the bar in the 18th minute. Hendon were now pushing forward, but Hartley’s front four provided an ever-present threat on the counter. They nearly caused Hendon a disaster in the 22nd minute. Zidan Akers broke through on the left wing. His shot, Aymen Azaze blocked, only for the ball to role to Maxwell Mullens who blasted it over the bar.
Eight minutes later Hartley broke forward again, this time through Adam Laaref twisting and turning his way past Dave Diedhou before his shot was also saved by Azaze. It was now Hartley’s turn to push forward though chances for both teams were few and far between. That was until stoppage time when an outside the box shot from Afolabi Soyemi-Oloade bounced off of Azaze’s post. Half time and despite Hendon having more of the play Hartley Wintney had created the better chances.
In the second half this pattern continued, and in the 64th minute, came another heart in your mouth moment, when Hartley cross was cleared off of the goal line. Then ten minutes later Laaref broke through again, but once again Azaze was equal to it. Despite this Hendon began to gather momentum, substitutes Giovanni Palmer and Solomun Sambou providing more energy in the team. It was Palmer who engineered the first and only goal of the game. Cutting from the left wing in 76th minute, he fed the ball into White at the edge of the box. White shot, and just like Soyemi-Oloade in the first half, his shot hit the post. This time, however, the ball arrived at the feet of striker Muir-Merchant who coolly slotted it home.
Now Hartley had to come out, and with them pushing forwards it was now Hendon creating all of the chances. Full back Josh Dawodu’s storming run down the wing had the Hartley back line scrambling. Though his cross was headed wide, it seemed an indication that Hendon were settling into their rhythm. Hartley’s frustration was evident through several incidents which marred the final moments of the game. The first when, during one such counter attack, Reece Wylie appeared to kick out at the Hendon forwards. The second moments later. Marcin Brozozowski and Joseph Morrison were involved in a scuffle with Muir-Merchant at the Hartley corner flag over a free kick, which eventually saw both teams crowding in, pushing each other and arguing with the ref. Ultimately it proved the final moment of note, and at the final whistle, Hendon ran out 1-0 winners, cementing their place in 18th, five points above North Leigh. Hartley, on the other hand, remaining in 20th, still three points behind Harrow Borough.
Hendon
1
Hafed Al-Droubi
2
Josh Dawodu
3
Lucas Perry
4
Leo Donnellan
5
Dave Diedhiou
6
Dan Matsuzaka
7
Shaun Lucien
8
Tom Jackson
9
Joe White
10
Niko Muir
11
Rohdell Gordon
12
Guri Demuria
15
Frank Keita
16
Solomon Sambou
17
Arthur Iontton
18
Giovanni Palmer
Hartley Wintney
1
Marcin Brzozowski
2
Thomas Leggett
3
Archy Taylor
4
Anis Nuur
5
Joseph Morrison
6
Toby Nevile
7
Zidan Akers
8
Reece Wylie
9
Afolabi Soyemi-Ololade
10
Adam Laaref
11
Maxwell Mullins
12
Lene Burden
14
Harry Cooksley
15
Oliver Allen
16
Shane Hollamby
20
Killian Barrett