Hendon came oh-so-close to snatching a draw from this friendly against St Albans City at a boiling hot Silver Jubilee Park on Saturday. Having pulled a goal back with five minutes to go, Dylan Kearney had the chance to equalise in the final few seconds, but Dean Snedker denied him from the penalty spot.

St Albans had a number of familiar faces in their starting 11, with Luke Tingey and Dave Diedhiou joined by Roman Michael-Percil and Khale da Costa, while Harold Joseph came off the bench.

The Greens had the first chance, but Tyriq Hunte's set up for the trialist wearing number 7 was drilled just wide from a good, and unchallenged position. It proved costly because the Saints were quick to take chances when they came.

Barely a minute later, one of the St Albans trialists did well down the right side and delivered a deep low cross which travelled all the way to an unmarked Michael-Percil. He took a touch and finished past Zaki Oualah with confidence.

In the 11th minute, the same Saints trialist made space for himself just outside the penalty and drilled a shot which Oualah saved well.

It delayed a second goal by only a few minutes as defensive error allowed the ball to fall to former Haringey Borough striker Ralston Gabriel. His rasping, rising drive flew into the roof of the net.

Saints enjoyed the better of the exchanges in the remainder of the first half, but there were few clear cut chances at either end. Adam Martin went closest for Hendon but his angled drive went beyond the far post.

Early in the second half, Hunte was guilty of an embarrassing miss. Marvin Morgan had the first chance and his shot was saved by Dean Snedker, but he succeeded only in pushing the ball directly to Hunte six yards out.

The striker needed only a controlled touch to score, but the ball seemed to skim off his shins and trickled just the wrong side of the post.

The trialist wearing 7 was then set up by Morgan, but Harold Joseph made a brilliant intervention, his touch taking the ball away from the Hendon man.

In the 57th minute, Connor Kingdom came even closer to a goal when his effort beat Snedker, but a defender close to the line cleared the ball.

Saints had few chances in the second half but, for half an hour, another goal seemed unlikely as neither team was able to create a clear opening.

Then, in the 86th, substitute Dylan Kearney was put through. He held off a St Albans defender and confidently knocked the ball past Snedker.

In the last seconds of stoppage time, Hendon were given a great chance to snatch a draw. Cole Brown broke into the penalty area, rode one challenge and then was sent crashing to the ground by Tom Bender.

Kearney took responsibility for the spot-kick. Although he hit the ball very well, the direction was not as good and Snedker saved the ball with his legs.