Hendon slipped to a second home Ryman League Premier Division defeat when a second half goal from Ronnie Green saw Worthing snatch all three points on Saturday. The Greens may have been unlucky to lose the game, but neither team was really worth any more than a draw in a dull, negative encounter.

With Richard McDonagh and James Burgess starting bans, and Dave Nolan completing his, it was a changed Hendon line-up, with Martin Vrhovski making his first start in more than six weeks, while Rob Courtnage had his first full 90 minutes, playing alongside Rene Street. On the bench were newcomers Shayne Demetrious, signed some weeks ago but fit only now, and 16-year-old Chad Edwards, a 16-year-old who has starred for the reserves.

In the fifth minute, Hendon put together a really sharp passing move, but it broke down on the edge of the penalty area when Eugene Ofori tried to find Vrhovski. It was the shape of things to come.

The first half was a huge disappointment, with both teams struggling with a surprisingly heavy pitch and a low sun. Worthing set out their stall early on: contest everything in midfield and defence and try to release the speedy Green on the counter-attack. Hendon, meanwhile, struggled to get both Danny Julienne and Vrhovski involved simultaneously, with both players most comfortable in similar positions.

A pivotal moment occurred in the 37th minute. A downfield ball seemed to be easily dealt with by Mark Burgess, who turned to nod a header back to Dave King. He was undone by a bad bounce and made little contact with the ball. Green was onto the chance in a flash and as Burgess attempted to retrieve the situation, he pulled down the striker.

Referee David Buck had little alternative but to produce a red card and Burgess, who had escaped a ban following his red card at Stevenage two weeks earlier, had no alternative but to make the lonely trudge off the pitch. The free-kick was curled harmlessly over the bar so it could be said that Burgess's professional foul did indeed stop a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Two incidents early in the second half sealed Hendon's fate. In the 49th minute, Dave Sargent passed to Wayne Carter, who ran towards the Worthing penalty area. Instead of shooting he passed out wide to Julienne, who quickly got around Chris Dicker.

He could have tried a shot, or a cross to the far post, but instead laid the ball back into the path of Mark Nicholls, who had found a rare area of space. Nicholls' shot was on target but Mark Ormerod was already diving to save it when Mark Pulling tried to kick the ball clear. However, he managed only to slice the ball over his keeper's legs and into the net.

The assistant referee ruled that Carter was offside and Mr Buck ruled out the goal. On the evidence of recent matches highlighting active and passive offside decisions, it was very hard on Hendon because Carter did not to affect the pass from Julienne to Nicholls, the shot or the mishit clearance. Two or three Hendon players questioned the referee on the decision and he conceded afterwards that he might have consulted directly with his assistant, rather than simply accepting the flag.

Three minutes later, Hendon were behind and it came as a result of a Hendon attack. Julienne crossed to the far post, but John Frendo's acrobatic attempt to keep the ball in play succeeded only in directing it to the edge of the Worthing box.

From there Shaun Grice took it to the half-way line and, spotting Green running into acres of space, delivered a simple pass. King came off his line in a vain attempt to reach the ball before Green and once the striker had gone around the stranded keeper, GREEN wasted little time in shooting the ball into the unguarded net.

The Hendon attack was not clicking and Demetrious and Ross Pickett were introduced at the expense of Vrhovski and Frendo. Pickett at least gave more of an aerial presence but his one clean header, from 16 yards, was easy for Ormerod to gather.

Worthing were content to soak up pressure and attack on the counter. Twice in the final 15 minutes they should have sewn up the points with a second goal, but Paul Rogers and Nko Ekoku both failed to hit the target with simple chances.

"The 10-man situation has cost us again," admitted crestfalled manager Gary Farrell, "and Mark Burgess's red card turned the game. There's no shadow of a doubt in my mind Worthing came for a draw. But our finishing was a disappointment today."