Hendon have a mountain to climb if they are to reach the Final of the Bryco (Isthmian League) Cup in May after a 96th minute goal from Micky Bennett gave Canvey Island a 4-2 victory at Park Lane on Tuesday night. The second leg is this Tuesday, at Claremont Road, kick-off 7.45 pm.

With Lee Harvey cup-tied and Rob Haworth out for the season, Rob Hollingdale and Lee Endersby started as assistant manager Jon Turner had to reshuffle his depleted troops. Manager Dave Anderson was combined to bed with flu.

Jon-Barrie Bates and Paul Yates were in charge in midfield, while Dale Binns and Kieran Gallagher made inroads down the flanks. Lee Endersby and Crace gave the Canvey defence fits.

The opening half-hour was dominated by Hendon. Ricci Crace had a shot that took a deflection and bounced just the wrong side of the post, with Ashley Harrison well beaten. On two other occasions, Canvey players managed to get deflections on the ball which bounced kindly for teammates.

In the 23rd minute, David Hook came out to get a ball and he collided with Steve Parmenter. Hook was able to continue, but Parmenter left the field on a stretcher. On came Scott Forbes, whose loan spell at Bishops Stortford ended a couple of days earlier.

Somewhat against the run of play, Canvey Island took the lead in the 36th minute. Jeff Minton was pulled down by Iain Duncan just outside the Hendon penalty area, close to the goal line. The angle was no problem for Lee PROTHEROE, whose curling shot deceived everybody and ended up in the far corner.

Undaunted, Hendon hit back just before half-time and the equaliser was a cracker. Crace, whose first half performance had been magnificent, burst clear of Steve Ward. As Harrison came off his line, Crace struck a dipping 25-yard shot that flew into the net a few inches below the crossbar.

Whatever was said in the Canvey Island dressing room at half-time must have been taken to heart, because they came out with a different attitude. The passing was crisp and quick and their running off the ball had more purpose.

Hendon struggled to clear the ball and keep possession in midfield, which of course, added to the pressure on the defence. In the 59th minute, the pressure told when two attempts to clear the ball failed and when it was crossed from left to right, Neil GREGORY lost his mark and struck a stunning volley from the angle of the 6-yard-box into the opposite corner.

In the 65th minute, Hendon had a goal disallowed when a cross from Paul Yates was flicked on by Crace and Binns rifled a shot into the net. However, the assistant referee ruled there was a player offside and referee Paul Cox gave Canvey a free-kick.

Two minutes later, Canvey made their physical presence tell as they snatched a two-goal advantage. With Steve Butler, Harvey and Haworth all absent, most aerial challenges were won by the home team. This time, however, there was not even a contest as Bertie BRAYLEY lost his marker at a corner and sent a header past Hook.

In the 78th minute, substitute Scott Forbes limped off to be replaced by Michael Lee and it looked as if Canvey were happy to take a two-goal first-leg lead. Hendon, meanwhile left it late to introduce Martin Randall, for the tiring Endersby.

The change seemed to work a treat. In the 5th minute of stoppage, Binns delivered a cross, Crace flicked the ball into RANDALL's path and he smashed it past Harrison. As he turned to celebrate, Canvey substitute Micky Bennett appeared to strike him, but Mr Cox had his back to the action as he ran to the half-way line. Had he seen the incident he would surely have produced a red card.

That appeared to set up the second leg nicely, but there was one more twist. A minute after Randall's goal, Hendon again failed to deal with a set piece and this time it was BENNETT, the villain at one end, who became a hero at the other by outjumping Paul Towler and planting a header in the net.

Mr Turner was philosophical after the game, summing it up by saying, "Considering the depleted squad we had, it was a very workmanlike performance. But it was totally unacceptable defending from 3 set pieces that gave them goals. On the positive side Ricci Crace was on fire.