Hendon enjoyed a surprisingly comfortable victory over St Albans City at Clarence Park on Saturday afternoon, the 4-0 scoreline being a very fair reflection of the almost complete domination the Greens enjoyed after the break.

Steve Butler and Iain Duncan joined Mark Cooper and Steve Forbes on the absentee list, leaving Hendon with a makeshift back three of Mark Burgess, Antony Howard and striker Pat Gavin. Dave Hunt and Scott Cousins were wide in midfield, flanking Andre Delisser, Andy Cook and Jon-Barrie Bates, while the first choice front two of Eugene Ofori and Ricci Crace remained intact.

It took less than 5 minutes for Hendon to find a way past injury-hit St Albans, although a controversial offside flag denied Hunt a goal after Ofori and Crace had carved up the home defence. Crace appeared to be in front of Hunt when he passed the ball across the penalty area for the latter to sidefoot it home. The assistant referee thought otherwise and the goal celebrations were stilled.

With a bitter, biting wind at their backs, St Albans began to take control of the game, but they were rather punchless in front of goal. The only effort they managed to put on target was a free header for Miguel De Souza, but his attempt lacked power and Dave King was able to take a couple of steps across his line to pick up the bouncing ball.

All other shots at goal, and there were four or five, failed to trouble the tall goalkeeper, who was able to watch the ball sail wide or high of the target. If King didn't go for a cross, Howard, Gavin or Burgess were able to deal comfortably with the danger.

It was rather against the run of play that Hendon took the lead in the last minute of the first half. The first chance fell to Delisser, whose powerful shot was parried by Wesley Jackman. HUNT was quick to latch onto the rebound and he sidefooted the ball towards the empty net, although it was helped over the line by Pat Baldwin's vain attempt to hack it clear.

Thirty seconds later, the Saints' defence was rent asunder by a fine pass from Bates. Ofori ran clear but his attempted lob didn't get very high. Jackman got a hand to the ball and did just enough on it to push it wide of the right post.

Going downhill after the break, Hendon were rarely discomfited by a St Albans team that lost heart, then discipline as the game went further and further away from them. The Saints were, however, furious about Hendon's second goal which arrived just after the hour mark.

After a spell of concerted pressure from Hendon, the ball was cleared only as far as Cousins, on the Hendon left, 10 yards inside the Saints' half. He had time to control the ball and deliver a long, inviting curled cross.

No defender reacted as COOK timed his run to perfection and flicked a header past Jackman. After winning the header, Cook and Jackman collided, with the goalkeeper coming off much the worse. Referee Andy Tyne had no hesitation in awarding the goal - undoubtedly the correct decision - much to the surprise of most of the players and crowd, used to goalkeepers receiving excessive protection from the match officials.

Dale Binns had already replaced Dave Hunt when the second goal went in, the youngster having been mysteriously penalised - as well as being injured - as he tried to shoot at goal. Having missed out in both FA Trophy ties against Kettering Town, Binns was determined to make his mark on this game. And he achieved that aim 15 minutes after entering the fray.

A shot-cum-cross from Crace would have reached Binns, giving him a clear shot at goal level with the far post, from 6 yards range. Saints substitute Danny Cross, who had been on the pitch for barely 2 minutes, managed to intercept the ball, but he did little more than stop its progress.

As he tried to regain his balance, hoping Jackman would come off his line to deal with the danger, BINNS struck. He ran around Cross and fired a shot past Jackman.

The defensive frailties of St Albans were clearly evident again, with 10 minutes remaining, as Hendon made it 4-0. This time cross came from the right wing and Delisser. No defender came close enough to deny COOK another clean header and Jackman's dive was never going to get close to the ball as it arrowed into the bottom corner.

Luke Sheekey and Martin Randall replaced Ofori and Crace, respectively, as Hendon, in the comfort zone almost added to their lead with efforts from Cook and Randall that were just off target.

"This was a great reaction to Tuesday night," said manager Dave Anderson. "It was a solid performance, especially with 4 first-choice players missing."