The last seconds of a cup match is fast becoming known as Hendon's danger period. It was our undoing at Fareham, where we were knocked out of the Amateur Cup in the dying seconds. The same thing happened at Wealdstone three weeks ago, when we were put out of the Middlesex Senior Cup.

Unbelievably it happened again last Saturday. After we were leading 2-1 against Croydon Amateurs in the third round of the London Senior Cup, they saved their day with a goal virtually in injury time.

Croydon Amateurs, members of the Spartan League, and a very good workmanlike side, took a shock lead after seven minutes, but Jimmy Quail and a shot by David Hyde, which was slightly deflected by a defender, enabled us to cross over with a 2-1 interval lead.

The Amateurs forced a replay through their two goal centre forward, Tony Lockett, and the homesters had only ten men at the time, inside right Bryan Cook was off the field with a leg injury.

With Laurie Churchill going down with gastric trouble just before the game, Peter Flann was outside right and Peter Slade switched to inside left. But Slade does not remember much about the game as he was heavily concussed in the first half.