Hendon consolidated their second place in the Ryman League Premier Division with a comfortable 4-1 demolition of Hitchin Town at Fishponds Road on Saturday afternoon. With Canvey Island on FA Trophy, the Greens cut the leaders' advantage to a mere 20 points, although the Gulls do have two games in hand.

With Iain Duncan suspended, Dave Hunt came in for his first start since being injured 12 weeks earlier at St Albans.

In the second minute, a clearance from Jim Duffy bounced off Dwayne Plummer and fell to Ricci Crace who had a clear run on goal. The assistant referee correctly ruled, however, that Crace was offside and referee Mr M Bull called play back.

Hendon were clearly on top, but clear shots at goal were at a premium. In the 10th minute, Hunt forced a fine save from Richard Wilmot after he had broken through the defence. Six minutes later, Scott Cousins had plenty of time and space to pick his spot with a shot, but he fired into Wilmot's midriff.

Midway through the half, Mark Burgess drove a long free-kick into the Hitchin penalty area. Andy Cook rose above his marker and nodded the ball down. CRACE anticipated the header and was all alone as the ball bounced to him. He turned and fired past Wilmot. Although Crace looked offside, the reaction of Hitchin defenders, glaring at each other rather than the referee's assistant, suggested they had dithered at the wrong moment.

The Canaries came back strongly and only an excellent save from Dave King, keeping out a close-range effort from Josh Sozzo, denied them a quick-fire equaliser.

Instead, in the last minute of the half they found themselves 2-0 down. Hendon broke quickly out of defence and Eugene Ofori worked himself almost clear of the Hitchin defence. Mark Burke and Jon Bone tried to make things difficult, but OFORI got off a shot which was deflected just enough to beat Wilmot.

Hendon started the second half slowly, but it was still a surprise when Hitchin pulled a goal back in the 53rd minute. Ofori was penalised in midfield and a long free-kick was nodded down by Sozzo into the path of Paul COVINGTON, who drilled a shot off the underside of the crossbar.

Just before the hour mark, Dale Binns came on for Crace and he had a big impact on the remainder of the game. He gave Bone a torrid time with his pace, forcing the Canaries to bolster the right side of the defence with midfielder Ian Scott. this allowed Plummer, Jon-Barrie Bates and Steve Butler extra space in which to move forward.

In the 70th minute, Binns ran across the face of the penalty area. Burke and Covington moved to stop his run, but the substitute shaped to shoot and left them floundering. With only Wilmot to beat, BINNS drew back his foot as if to power a shot, but he languidly lifted the ball over Wilmot and inches under the crossbar. It was a beautiful piece of football subterfuge.

In the 75th minute, before Hendon took a corner, the Greens withdrew Plummer, sending on Pat Gavin, while Hitchin introduced Graham Clark at the expense of Scott. When the ball was delivered, Gavin powered a header across the face of goal and Duffy almost turned the ball into his own net.

Wilmot made a comfortable save and tried to launch an attack with a downfield punt. Cousins, however, won the ball and fed Ofori. Binns peeled away to the wing, leaving Bone exposed 2-on-1 and he had no chance of catching Binns when the ball was passed towards him.

It was probably a little overhit, but Binns' great pace enabled him to get to the ball before it reached the goalline. Not only did he get there, but Binns delivered a superb cross right into the path of GAVIN, who rose majestically and planted a magnificent header into the roof of the net. It was an outstanding goal.

In the closing minutes, Andre Delisser came on for Mark Cooper and Hunt again came close to scoring after another fine run through the Hitchin defence.

"We scored two great goals in the second half," enthused manager Dave Anderson. "We have got to the stage where we now look like a top team. Apart from 15 minutes at the start of the second half, I thought we were very comfortable."