Match Report

Hendon
0
Staines Town
2
Date:
Tuesday 18 January 2005
Competition:
Isthmian League Premier Division
Attendance:
117
Venue:
TBA

Match Report

Hendon slumped to another home defeat, this time 2-0 to a Staines Town team gunning for the Ryman League Playoffs.

The Greens, who released player-coach Dave Nolan and midfielder Wayne Carter after the weekend, rested top-scorer Mark Nicholls so the player-assistant manager could see the team from the sideline. With points desperately needed, it was a decision that may have made sense in a mid-table team, but not one for a club in Hendon's plight.

Danny Julienne came in for Nicholls, while Shayne Demetrious took over at right-back, where Nolan had been a regular.

The Swans took full advantage, opening the scoring after just two minutes, Eliot Onochie finding himself in acres of space inside the Hendon box, before turning and shooting past the exposed Dave King.

Although Hendon had the bitter wind at their backs in the first half, they failed to use it, and apart from a header from Eugene Ofori - caught by Matt Lovett just under his crossbar - failed to put an effort on target.

Staines were fortunate to go into half-time with a full complement on the pitch. After a late challenge by Julienne on Matt Flitter, the defender reacted with a much worse lunge at René Street.

Hendon improved after the break and, after John Frendo had replaced Ofori, came close to netting an equaliser. First Lovett made an excellent save to keep out a long-range drive from Frendo and then he sprawled low to push aside a shot from Julienne.

On a number of other occasions the Staines defence was at full stretch to keep out dangerous balls into their box. At the moment, luck has deserted the Greens and it seemed as if every bounce, bobble and mishit clearance went to a yellow shirt.

But Staines still looked very dangerous on the attack and they sealed the points in the 79th minute. Onochie, standing alone inside the six-yard box, grabbed his second of the match by deflecting a long-range shot past King.

Hendon manager Gary Farrell said, "We spoke before the game about our shape and discipline in the opening 15 minutes and keeping them out. So what do we do, but concede a goal inside the first two minutes.

"If we had enjoyed just a little of luck in the second half, we could have got something out of the game, but they scored a second goal ten minutes from the end and that was it. We have conceded two more soft goals and that is very disappointing."

Report by David Ballheimer

Hendon

1
Dave King
2
Shayne Demetrious
3
Dave Sargent
4
Jason O'Connor
5
Rene Street
6
Dean Coppard
7
James Burgess
8
Eugene Ofori
9
Ross Pickett
10
Danny Julienne
11
Richard McDonagh
12
Rob Courtnage
14
Andy Sherry
15
Gary Meakin
16
Anthony Clark
17
John Frendo

Match Events

Elliot Onochie
2''
60''
John Frendo replaced Eugene Ofori
Elliot Onochie
79''
83''
Anthony Clark replaced Shayne Demetrious
Leon Gordon replaced Elliot Onochie
83''
Tariq Nabil replaced Gavin Tomlin
88''

Staines Town

1
Matt Lovett
2
Danny Gordon
3
Jon McDonald
4
Peter Barnsby
5
Matt Flitter
6
Paul Ellis
7
Andre Delisser
8
Fiston Manuella
9
Elliot Onochie
10
Gavin Tomlin
11
Richard Gell
12
Tariq Nabil
14
Kevin George
15
Marien Ifura
16
Craig Maskell
17
Leon Gordon