Hendon picked up three vital points with a hard-fought and utterly deserved victory over a Tooting & Mitcham United team which would be in the playoff places if their home form was better. The 2-0 defeat on Saturday was their eighth at Imperial Fields this season, the equal-most in the Ryman League Premier Division, and they have not won there since 12 December.

The Greens who endured postponements of home games against Carshalton Athletic on Tuesday and Hastings United on Thursday, made two changes to their line-up. With James Bent serving a one-match suspension for his red card against Wealdstone, Peter Dean came in, while Berkley Laurencin was given a start between the posts as James Reading was rested.

There were very few incidents of note in the first half. After 90 seconds, Dave Diedhiou showed a nice touch in linking with Peter Dean before curling a cross-cum-shot just beyond the far post with former Hendon favourite Dave King scrambling across his goal just in case the ball crept in.

In the third minute, Tooting were awarded a free-kick in a central position just outside the Hendon penalty area. Laurencin's defensive wall did its job - but only just. Simon Parker curled the free-kick around it, but the ball could not bend enough to go inside the post, striking the outside of instead.

Anthony Thomas and Casey Maclaren worked hard and well, but players were forced by Matt York and Joe Vines to play some distance outside the Tooting box. And it was the same story at the other end, where Bradley Thomas and James Parker comfortably held the upper hand over the dangerous Simon Parker and Paul Vines. Anthony Thomas did, however, fire a warning shot after 22 minutes after he had got the better of Joe Vines.

The deadlock was broken after 34 minutes when a ball out of the Hendon defence caught the Tooting defence napping. Dean was able to get the better of York and suddenly had a clear run at goal.

Although he was clear of the defender and had only King to beat, Dean decided to pass to Anthony Thomas. Joe Vines came across to cover but Thomas fired a quick low shot towards the bottom corner, to King's left.

The tall goalkeeper went down quickly enough, in fact too quickly, because the heavily sanded penalty area slowed the down Thomas's shot and to King's frustration and disappointment, the ball squirmed under his body and trickled into the net.

Tooting's management team were very unhappy with their players' performances as they made two changes at half-time. Experienced striker Nic McDonnell, just signed from Bromley, and defender Allan McLeod came on for Sam Clayton and Tom Graves.

Within two minutes, Hendon should have been awarded a penalty when Dean Hamlin nudged Maclaren in the back as he got in behind the Tooting defence. It was a soft push, but it was a foul and, outside the penalty area, no one really would have complained if a free-kick had been awarded.

McLeod then made a rather fortunate clearance, blocking a through ball towards Dean who would otherwise have had an unchallenged run at the Tooting goal. Dean then forced King into a routine save from a shot, while Jamie Busby was unfortunate to have a ball bounce on him a little more than he expected as it denied him a good a shooting chance.

Tooting's best attempt of the second half came after 56 minutes when James Parker was very harshly penalised for handball as a ball drilled at him from a couple of yards' range struck him on the arm in front of his body, but it was not outstretched. York took this free-kick and, again, Laurencin's wall was just wide enough to ensure the bent free-kick went into the side-netting.

A high lunge at Diedhiou by McLeod after 60 minutes earned him a yellow card, though the Hendon bench bayed for it to be of a different colour. It was certainly both dangerous and reckless, but Diedhiou was quickly on his feet and maybe the lack of serious damage to the defender persuaded the referee to be a bit more lenient.

Tooting made their final change midway through the half, Simon Parker removed in favour of Izedin Harusha, while Hendon made their first substitution with 20 minutes to go, Belal Aite-Ouakrim taking over from Anthony Thomas. The Hendon replacement - with his pace and control - immediately put the home defence under pressure, but the ball was nicked off his toe by McLeod.

The Terrors' frustration boiled over after 75 minutes when Lee O'Leary fouled Colin Hartburn on the halfway line. Trying to buy a moment or two of time, O'Leary picked up the ball and trotted a couple of yards towards his goal with the ball.

Hartburn's reaction, borne out of frustration as much as anything else, was to push over O'Leary with both hands. The referee could hardly have been closer and the red card for Hartburn - his second in consecutive weeks - was inevitable.

A lax moment between Scott Cousins and Aite-Ouakrim allowed Tooting to break down the right wing, but Bradley Thomas came across and made an excellent tackle on the raiding Aaron Goode.

At the other end, King made a low save from a powerful James Burgess drive and was relieved to watch, as the ball squirmed away from him, that it rolled outside his near post and out for a corner.

A couple of offside flags against Aite-Ouakrim suggested that the Tooting defence was playing with fire. One mis-step from them, or a slightly delayed run by the striker, would have resulted in an unchallenged run on goal.

With four minutes to go, Dean's superb performance came to an end as Kevin Maclaren replaced him. It was a slightly defensive move, but one which was absolutely necessary as Hendon looked to hold onto their three points.

In the last minute of normal time, Laurencin came a long way to catch a deep cross from Dean Hamlin. He caught the ball cleanly, but fell into the legs of McDonnell, who landed on top of him. A brief stoppage ensured, allowing the Hendon bench to make sure everyone kept their attention and concentration on the job in hand.

The same could not be said of Tooting because, in the fifth minute of added time, a quick throw in down the right side saw the ball run through to Aite-Ouakrim. King was quickly off his goal-line, so he was in no position to do anything about the deft lob Aite-Ouakrim floated over him and into the net.

"I am really pleased with the performance today. It was very accomplished all over the pitch.

"I am particularly pleased for Berkley Laurencin. He hasn't had many chances this season - and might have been my number one in August if he hadn't been suspended for the first two games."