Hendon finished their campaign with a well-deserved draw against runners-up Billericay Town at New Lodge on Saturday afternoon. And, had Danny Julienne not been dismissed with half an hour remaining, the Greens could well have gone on to collect all three points.

The Greens finished in 11th spot in the Ryman League Premier Division, not as high as had seemed likely in September, when they topped the table, but significantly better than the relegation zone, where they had been ten days into February.

It was a rather strange game. Billericay needed only a draw to guarantee second spot, but with a four-goal advantage over third placed Eastleigh, even a narrow defeat would have been enough. First choice goalkeeper Paul Gothard, who had been out for ten weeks with a bad ankle injury, was pressed into emergency service because the Blues alternative, Mel Capelton, was late arriving from work in West London. With Hendon's Dave King also nursing a right ankle problem, it meant the two goalkeepers had two good left feet between them, and no good right ones!

There were plenty of changes to the starting line-up following last week's disappointing performance against Salisbury City. Most notably, the most solid defensive line-up was restored with Steve McGrath partnering René Street in the middle, while Gary Meakin and James Parker occupied the right and left back slots.

Marvyn Watson was the most advanced of the five-man midfield, although Julienne, Shayne Demetrious and Dave Hunt also regularly gave assistance to the lone striker Ross Pickett, while James Burgess had the holding role. On the bench were two more strikers in Eugene Ofori and John Frendo, along with Richard McDonagh, Andy Sherry and Jason O'Connor.

The Greens could not have made a worse start on a baking hot and close afternoon. In the tenth minute, a slide-rule pass from former Don Steve Forbes sent Andy Oxby clear and his run took him clear of the Hendon defence. Dave King came off his line, but OXBY's shot comprehensively beat him.

A minute later Hendon almost equalised. Gothard's first attempt to clear the ball with his left foot sent the ball about 15 yards, straight to Pickett. His first time shot beat Gothard, but flew inches wide of the angle of post and crossbar.

Another long-range effort, this time from Julienne after 23 minutes, also came close to getting an equaliser, but the better strikes and possession belonged to Billericay. Neil Cousins and Matt Game both tried their luck from long-range, but their powerful shots were hit straight at King, who saved easily.

Demetrious was injured in a challenge just outside the Billericay box after 32 minutes and could not take the free-kick. Instead Burgess tried his luck with a bending effort that didn't have the power to beat Gothard by his left post.

Two minutes later, King did produce a fine save to keep out an effort from Danny Kerrigan. Ross Wareham then went close with a drive at the far post, but he hit the side-netting. Then, just before half-time, Julienne was booked for a rash tackle on Dave McSweeney.

At half-time, Hendon made two changes, replacing the limping Demetrious and Pickett with Frendo and Ofori. It turned the game the Greens' way. Within five minutes, Watson had found Ofori, who released Frendo in the inside left channel. His shot may just have been creeping inside the far post, but the struggling Gothard made a hash of the save and the ball spun towards the line. As it crossed the whitewash Ofori made absolutely certain, but the goal was given FRENDO.

Hendon were now on top and Billericay were struggling to deal with the two forwards' incisive running. However, the final turning point came a few minutes later when McSweeney dived in on Julienne.

It was little different to the challenge before half-time, but Julienne retaliated by pushing the defender, two-handed, in the chest. The referee was already pulling out his notebook to caution McSweeney, but Julienne's reaction left the referee with little alternative but to produce another yellow card for the Hendon player and off he went.

Down to ten men, Hendon reigned in their attacking instincts and the nine outfield players worked like Trojans to stifle Billericay players whenever they got within 40 yards of the Hendon goal.

Billericay sent on attack-minded Nathan Elder and Paul Armstrong for midfielders Oxby and John Simmons, respectively, but even with a four-man front line, they could not find a way past the Hendon rearguard, where Street and McGrath were exceptional. King was sure-handed with almost every cross and the one time he failed to hang on, a desperate block by Hunt ensured the goal remained intact.

In the last minute of normal time, Elder had a great chance to win it with a clear shot from 15 yards, but he fired inches wide of the post. There was plenty of stoppage time to stretch the nerves of the travelling Hendon faithful, but they were delighted to hear the final whistle bring down the curtain on a roller-coaster season.

Manager Gary McCann said, "We didn't start as well as we would have liked and conceded a poor goal defensively. But the half-time changes made a big difference.

"Once we had equalised we got on top and if it hadn't been for the red card, I thought we would have gone on to win the game. I told Danny Julienne that if we had lost the game it would have been down to him, but his ten team-mates were outstanding in getting him off the hook."