Hendon won their third consecutive Middlesex Senior Cup for the first time in 30 years when extra-time goals from substitutes Dave Hunt and Martin Randall gave the Greens a 3-1 victory over Uxbridge at Yeading's The Warren on Easter Monday night.

It was hard work, though, especially after Dale Binns had been sent off following a 58th minute clash with John Swift.

Dwayne Plummer joined Iain Duncan and Jon-Barrie Bates on the injured list so Binns was given a start, while 17-year-old Aaron McLeish and James Burgess were named as substitutes.

The opening exchanges were, to be kind, tentative. Indeed there was no a single effort of note in the opening 15 minutes. In the 17th minute, Ricci Crace curled a shot just wide of Ray Francis' right post and it signalled a period of dominance from Hendon.

In the 27th minute, following a corner, Andy Cook rifled in a shot that Francis instinctively parried away. In the 39th minute, Binns took a short pass from Scott Cousins, flicked the ball up and volleyed it inches over the crossbar.

Three minutes later, Steve Forbes tried his luck from 25 yards. Francis got his body behind the ball but it somehow squirmed through his legs and the goalkeeper was delighted to see it trickling just behind him, so he gratefully dived on it.

As the half wound down, Hendon upped the pressure and Cousins tried his luck with a 22-yard free kick but it flew just wide. Then Forbes went on a mazy run that took him through three defenders but Francis used his legs to block a low shot. Had Forbes been able to lift the ball a matter of inches, he would surely have scored.

The first 15 minutes of the second half ensured that passion would be to the fore for the rest of the game. It started in the 50th minute, when Crace levered himself in front of a dawdling Stuart Bamford, laid the ball across the penalty area and joined in the celebrations after Eugene OFORI had confidently flicked the ball into the far corner.

Uxbridge players immediately surrounded referee Steve Nicholson, feeling - with some justification - that their captain had been fouled. It certainly fired them up because they asked some stern questions of the Hendon defence. In the 55th minute, Binns needlessly conceded a free-kick yards from the goal-line just outside the Hendon penalty area. The ball was crossed in and Mark WEEDON smacked it home for the equaliser.

In the 58th minute, Binns and Swift contested a ball 15 yards from the Uxbridge goalline and a throw-in was awarded Hendon's way. Binns stepped back towards Swift, who raised his hands to stop his opponent trampling on him. Binns responded by lowering his head towards Swift. He didn't make contact, but the assistant referee saw the incident. He called Mr Nicholson over, explained exactly what he had seen and the referee had no hesitation in dismissing the Hendon player.

Incensed Hendon supporters bayed for blood, but the truth is that Binns' action was violent conduct, whether he made contact or not. Swift had done no more than protect himself and did nothing in the way of reacting to Binns' move.

With a man advantage, Uxbridge took control of the game, but Steve Butler, Mark Cooper and Mark Burgess were in commanding form. Neither Antony Howard nor Cousins could get forward as much as they had in the first half, but Cook and Forbes worked double time in trying to set up opportunities for the rather isolated Crace and Ofori.

Dave King's handling was not quite as clinical as it had been during the 17-game unbeaten run, but he did produce a magnificent save to keep out a shot from Jamie Cleary that was struck from outside the angle of the penalty area.

Uxbridge introduced Nick Rundell and Ian Jones for Steve Walters and Lee Tunnell, respectively, and it nearly paid off in the fourth minute of stoppage time. A low swerving cross drew King off his line, but the goalkeeper fumbled the ball and it fell to Mark Royal eight yards out with the goal gaping. Every Uxbridge player had their heads in their hands as they watched the ball fly harmlessly over the crossbar.

After seven minutes of stoppage time, Mr Nicholson brought normal time to a conclusion. The interval before extra time was crucial for Hendon, because the coaching staff, Dave Anderson, Jon Turner and Warren Kelly, were able to set up a new formation, one to contain Uxbridge. It worked a treat.

Ten minutes into the first period of extra time, Hendon suffered a big blow when Mark Cooper went down with an Achilles injury. He was helped off and Dave Hunt came on, going to the right side with Howard shifting to the middle.

Three minutes later, Martin Randall took over from Crace as Hendon began to regain control of the game. And as the first extra period went into added time, the Greens struck. The goal was almost identical to the first, only this time it was Chris O'Leary who was caught dozing in his penalty area.

Ofori took the ball off him, no question of a foul this time, and rolled the ball into the path of HUNT, who gleefully found the back of the net despite the desperate attempted intervention of Gavin Bamford.

Amazingly, there was still more than enough time before the period ended for the Greens to move further ahead. This time it was Cousins down the left who crossed in low. Ofori had a shot blocked, but when the ball fell to RANDALL, he despatched it with aplomb.

Uxbridge were broken by this quickfire double strike and they tried hard to reduce the arrears, but the Hendon defence held on quite comfortably. Pat Gavin replaced the tiring Ofori for the final seven minutes, but the substitution was little more than a time-wasting exercise.

"I am delighted to win the Cup again," said a happy Dave Anderson. "You never win a cup easily, and Uxbridge made us work very hard tonight."