Hendon produced a magnificent second-half fightback to snatch all three points from Margate and leave their hosts languishing in the relegation while the Greens climbed up to a false 17th position. If they win just two of their up to six games in hand on the teams above them, Hendon will be at least at halfway in the Ryman League Premier Division table, and maybe even in the top half.

After going almost two weeks without a game, it was a changed starting 11, with the sick James Burgess replaced by Dave Diedhiou, Wayne O'Sullivan took over from Craig Vargas and Lee O'Leary came in for Peter Dean.

In glorious sunshine although it was bitterly cold, Margate made a great start. In the fifth minute, a good passing move should have brought the opening goal, but Joe Healys sidefoot bounced off the right post and rolled away to safety.

It delayed the deadlock-breaker by barely 60 seconds. There was no marking to speak of as a move down the left was followed by a cross to Lloyd Blackman. His shot was brilliantly parried by James Reading, but the rebound fell straight back to the Gate skipper, who made no mistake at the second attempt.

Hendon were being torn apart and it seemed only a matter of time before Margate doubled their advantage. Adding to the deepening gloom on the Hendon side was a sudden change in the weather. The sun disappeared, the temperature dipped even further and the fog came in.

At least Hendon's white shirts were easy to see, but the mist could not explain why no defender came close to stopping the runs or passes in the Margate move after 26 minutes which brought them their second goal. It was a superb team effort, involving half a dozen slick passes, but it was very easy and Dan Stubbs finish was clinical.

The first chance to fall to Hendon came after 37 minutes. Bradley Woods-Garness, whose loan spell was extended last week, had already been thwarted by an excellent last-ditch interception from Aaron Lacey, when he found space beyond the far post when O'Sullivan crossed.

Although Woods-Garness had time to steady himself before shooting, he went for the spectacular and sliced the ball disappointingly wide. A more difficult chance then fell to O'Sullivan, who also put the ball out without testing Margates on-loan goalkeeper Luke Garrard.

On the stroke of half-time, with the fog now so bad that the town end goal was invisible from the clubhouse end, a magnificent save by Reading denied Wayne Wilson what would have been the decisive third goal. None of the fans at the clubhouse end knew what had happened. All that was learned came from the roar of the crowd behind the other goal about to celebrate a goal then groaning in disappointment and watching everyone line up for a corner.

Hendon were able to deal with the corner and launch an attack of their own, which came to nothing. As Garrard was about to take the resulting goal-kick, the referee walked up to him and asked for the ball. Garrard asked the referee if he was abandoning the game, only to be answered with the half-time whistle.

The fog lifted slightly and Margate again should have extended their advantage in the opening minute of the second half. This time it was Sam Cliff who side-footed the ball wide of the target when clean through on goal.

This was the signal for Hendon to up their game and they gradually began to take control. Garrard's first save of the afternoon came after 57 minutes, pushing aside a shot from Cousins which may well have been destined for the side-netting.

Two minutes later, the goalkeeper made an outstanding save to deny Diedhiou, who connected powerfully with a header from an O'Sullivan cross. From the corner, however, the game changed totally.

The ball was crossed in and Casey Maclaren bulleted a header past Garrard. It didnt go in the net because Lacey made a brilliant save on the goalline, tipping it over the crossbar.

He lay on the ground not so much holding his head in feigned injury, but nonetheless hoping that the referee hadn't seen his hand make the intervention. A couple of Margate players pleaded half-heartedly for clemency but the referee told them he had seen the handball and he had no alternative.

Lacey walked slowly to the referee, knowing his fate, while Jamie Busby placed the ball on the penalty spot. There was not a word of protest from the home side as the red card was shown and Lacey trudged off disconsolately. Busby made no mistake from the spot and Hendon were back in the game.

For the next 15 minutes, Hendon battered the Margate goal, but couldnt make another breakthrough. Stubbs was forced into the right-back role and was given a roasting by O'Sullivan who teased and tormented him.

Casey Maclaren didnt score in the game, but he played major roles in the first two goals. After 75 minutes when a Cousins cross was blocked, O'Sullivan got the ball over a high ball to the edge of the six yard box.

Maclaren was never going to be in a position to win a header against Garrard, but he positioned himself in such a way that Garrard could only push him over to gather the ball cleanly. The goalkeeper tried to leap over the jumping Maclaren but could not hold onto the ball.

It fell to the ground where a couple of Hendon players tried shots which were blocked. The second rebound landed just in front of Bent and Thomas and it was Bent who reacted quickest, lashing the ball through a sea of bodies into net.

For some reason, Hendon changed their approach after the equaliser. Instead of playing the same way, which had brought them back into the game, they went all out for the winner, leaving gaps in defence and allowing Margate a couple of excellent chances on the break. Only two timely interventions from Parker ended those counter-attacks.

Woods-Garness was taken off after 80 minutes, replaced by Dean, just as the fog gradually thickened again. With so little time to go, the last thing Hendon wanted was for the referee to decide it was too misty to continue, but their fears were unfounded.

The Greens best move of the match proved to be the match-winner. Superb linking play between Cousins and Bent allowed the former to attack down the left wing. He played the ball into the near post, when Bent helped the ball into path of Dean.

The substitute over-ran the ball slightly, but was still able to turn, steady himself and, once Garrard had committed himself off his line, slide the ball into the bottom corner.

More than five minutes of stoppage time certainly jangled the nerves of the Hendon bench and supporters alike. Casey gave way to his brother Kevin and Vargas replaced O'Sullivan, but these were little more than time-wasting exercises. Margate were, in truth, a beaten team.

"It was evident that not playing for almost two weeks again had an effect on us," said manager Gary McCann. "It took us a long time to get into the game and for more than 30 minutes we were short in most areas.

"We did get better as the half progressed and came into the game, but I still gave them a good talking to at half-time. After the break we were excellent, especially between our first and second goals.

"But then everyone tried to be a hero and we got sloppy. Nevertheless I think, overall, we deserved to win."