Hendon, who have so often come back from impossible positions to get results almost did the same to Wealdstone at a leaf-strewn Chestnut Avenue on Saturday but, instead, were beaten by a deflected shot from former Green Lee O'Leary with just five minutes remaining.

This was a pulsating game, reminiscent of football from a bygone era, with the - admittedly much smaller - crowd making for an intimidating atmosphere that certainly transferred itself onto the pitch with some pretty tough challenges flying in from both sides. It must also be said that the football Hendon played in the second half would have blown away many teams; it was probably the best they have performed for the best part of a decade, though without any reward.

James Burgess replaced the suspended Marc Leach and Brian Haule replaced Lubo Guentchev in a reshuffled Hendon team. But the changes continued inside the opening ten minutes as Jamie Busby suffered a serious injury and had to replaced by Rakatahr Hudson.

Five minutes later, Lee O'Leary went down after an apparent collision with Davis Haule. He needed lengthy treatment before continuing but, moments after he returned, Stones won a corner and Haule went down on the half-way line.

With the present laws, Haule had to leave the field and, in his absence, Wealdstone took the lead. The corner was swung in by Ryan Ashe, headed back across the goal by Alan Massey and powered into the net by the unmarked Ben Alexander. Having missed two excellent chances already, it was no more than Wealdstone deserved.

The home team were indebted to Sean Thomas, their on-loan - from QPR - England youth international goalkeeper who saw service at Hendon two years ago. He made brilliant save to deny Davis Haule less than a minute after the opening goal.

Eleven minutes before half-time, Wealdstone doubled their lead. Peter Dean did well to keep the ball on the edge of the Hendon penalty area. He turned one way, then the other, before sending a perfectly weighted delicate chip that drifted over the head of Luke Blackmore and dropped just under the crossbar.

At the other end James Parker had a great chance to pull a goal back from a corner, but the ball got stuck between his feet and he could not get off a shot. Thomas then made another fine save to keep out a low drive from Davis Haule.

It took just 90 seconds of the second half for Hendon to get back into the game. It came from a Wayne O'Sullivan corner that was flicked across the penalty area. The ball fell to Hudson, who controlled the ball before ramming it past Thomas.

Hudson was then lucky not to be sent off for an ugly-looking lunge on the edge of his own penalty area. The yellow card he received was the minimum punishment that could have meted out by the referee. The free-kick which followed did not get past the defensive wall.

O'Sullivan, pushed forward after the break, began to wreak havoc on the Wealdstone defence. One run ended with a cross that eluded everyone, then, in the 59th minute, he set up Hendon's equaliser.

The most starting inside the Hendon half, but it was O'Sullivan's magnificent run from just inside the Wealdstone half that took him past three defenders that created the danger. Instead of shooting, O'Sullivan rolled the ball into the path of Belal Aiteouakrim, who took a touch to steady himself and he rolled the ball past the onrushing Thomas.

Davis Haule and Aiteouakrim both had chances to give Hendon the lead, but the former - maybe surprised the ball even reached him - directed a header straight at Thomas. Aiteouakrim curled a shot just over the angle of post and crossbar after another mesmerising O'Sullivan run. Had this effort gone in, it would have been a candidate for goal of the season.

Davis Haule, clearly struggling from his first half knock, left the game with a dozen or so minutes remaining, being replaced by Danny Dyer. Crucially, his absence gave Lee O'Leary more space in which to work and this proved fatal to Hendon's hopes of victory.

With eight minutes to go, O'Leary broke towards the edge of the penalty area. Never one to eschew the opportunity to shoot, he let fly. The ball struck the leg of Sam Page trying to block the shot, looped up, and bounced hard off the pitch just in front of the diving Blackmore, who, almost certainly, would have had no trouble dealing with the effort. The topspin, however, proved too much for the goalkeeper, who could only palm the ball into the net.

Wealdstone, understandably, went into time-wasting mode and their tactics worked perfectly. Hendon rarely saw the ball in a dangerous position in the final ten minutes and it was the Stones fans who went home happy. Mind you, any neutrals will have been delighted with the fare provided.

The only people who didn't think the game was great to watch were to be found in the two dugouts.

"I'm not going to agree with you about the game being great to watch," said Hendon manager Gary McCann. "We have come back from the dead many times this season, but today Wealdstone nailed down the coffin.

"In the second half we played some of the best football I've seen from us since taking over. But we gave away three goals and lost."

"That wasn't exciting," said Wealdstone boss Gordon Bartlett. "Only fans can enjoy a game like that."