Hendon came away from their first of three September visits to Kent with a point that two-thirds of the way through the game looked highly unlikely.

Chatham Town, in front of a superb crowd of 1708, took an early lead when Rowan Liburd headed over Luke Campbell after the Hendon goalkeeper had parried an effort out just three minutes in.

Freddie Sears extended the lead shortly before half-time with a crisp finish from 25-yards to cap a superb opening half for the former West Ham starlet. Thankfully, for Hendon, he was withdrawn at the break.

The match turned on a penalty award on 67 minutes, when Excellence Muhemba was adjudged to have been fouled inside the penalty area. Joe White stepped up to slot the spot kick beyond former Hendon loanee Brad House, before Muhemba equalised with a deft header with a quarter of an hour remaining.

There was still time for Luke Campbell to pull of a brilliant penalty save of his own, before the game descended into chaos following a melee in which Niko Muir and Brad Sach were both shown straight red cards.

Sid Nelson followed shortly after for his second booking, both of which were for dissent aimed at the referee as both sides claimed a point apiece.