Hendon made it two 1-0 wins in a row when they overcame Ford United at Oakside on Tuesday night. Martin Randall's penalty, 10 minutes into the second half, was all that separated the teams after a tough game played in excellent spirit.

Ford Chairman Jimmy Chapman admitted, "Somebody at work asked me who we were playing tonight and I told him 'Hendon'. He asked, 'So, do you think you'll win?' and I said, 'No, we always lose against Hendon'."

The only change in the Hendon line-up was Mark Burgess replacing his suspended twin brother Jamie, while Ricci Crace was named as a substitute instead of Greg Joseph.

In the 3rd minute, Eugene Ofori worked himself half an opening and although Randall was in good position, the shot from Ofori was both powerful and well directed, forced Jamie Lunn into his first fine save of the night.

Gradually Ford got into the game and in the 26th minute, Glen Poole, who scored a spectacular goal in the same match last season, came desperately close to repeating the feat. This time his 25-yarder crashed off the top of the cross and was hacked away to safety.

Dave King showed his composure under pressure, snaffling up a number of high, teasing crosses, while both Mark Cooper and Steve Butler made timely interceptions to stop Declan Perkins and Mervyn Abrahams, respectively.

Out wide, Hendon lacked a little cohesion, but this hardly surprising with Mark Burgess making his first start, not on the same page of the playbook as Scott Cousins, while Iain Duncan has yet to build up an understanding with Andre Delisser.

Coming through the heart of midfield, Steve Forbes looked sporadically dangerous and in the 34th minute, he flashed a shot just wide of Lunan's right post. Lunan then made the first of two outstanding saves either side of the interval.

There didn't seem much on for Randall in the 41st minute, but he let fly with a vicious, dipping 30-yard strike that swerved towards to the top corner, until Lunan clawed it away to safety.

After the break, Lunan did even better to parry a deflected Jon-Barrie Bates shot. The goalkeeper had already moved to his right before the ball struck Dean Chandler and looped towards to the opposite corner. Lunan somehow changed directions and did enough to push the ball against the crossbar.

He was helpless in the 56th minute, when RANDALL sent him the wrong way from the penalty spot after the striker had run onto a pass from Ofori and was sent crashing to the turf a yard inside the penalty area. Referee Gary Evetts was perfectly positioned to see the foul was inside the penalty area and he had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and there was not a single complaint from Ford.

Chasing the game, Ford were unlucky when a towering header from Alex Fiddes bounced off the top of the crossbar and another shot caromed off the frame of the goal.

But it was far from one-way traffic and Butler almost made it 2 goals in 2 games, but Alan McLeod hacked his effort from the goalline. Hendon's confidence grew as the half progressed, the best example of which was a piece of keep-ball involving almost every outfield player, not as a time-wasting tactic, but simply the practical search for an opening.

In the last minute, Burgess was penalised for a challenge just outside the Hendon penalty area. Poole stepped up and curled a fine shot that did not dip until it had passed over the crossbar.

"We played well tonight and I am delighted with the 3 points," said manager Dave Anderson.