Hendon face a mounting fixture backlog after they failed to take a hatful of chances and played out a goalless draw against Wakefield & Emley at Belle Vue on Saturday afternoon. Tuesday's replay automatically knocks out the Bryco Cup tie against Wingate & Finchley and may effect next week's Ryman League match against Canvey Island.

Micky Woolner came into the Hendon side at the expense of the suspended Jon-Barrie Bates. He slotted in at right-back, with captain Paul Towler moving into Bates' midfield position.

Sadly, the real talking point of the game was the performance of referee Mr KDG Lawson (Scunthorpe), who sent off 3 players before half-time. He spent the whole 90 minutes making inconsistent decisions which left players from both teams bemused and frustrated.

That being said, Hendon should have been a goal to the good even before the first of Mr Lawson's brainstorms and 5 up by the 3rd red card. After just 2 minutes, Steve Forbes ghosted behind Rob Tonks and appeared to have a clear shot at goal from an easy angle 10 yards out. Tonks, however, recovered just enough to force Forbes into a hasty shot which didn't start to dip until it was 10 yards behind the goal.

In the 13th minute, as Wakefield tried to clear a corner, Paul Yates was kicked by Mark Wilson and stumbled into Ryan Crossley. The former Stevenage defender reacted by flaring up at Yates who stood his ground and, verbally, gave as good as he got. This led to Crossley appearing to strike Yates. The Hendon man put his hands up in defence, but certainly didn't land any sort of blow as Ricci Crace and other players intervened to separate the two of them.

Although by 20 metres the closest to the incident, Mr Lawson called both his assistants onto the field - within the laws' guidelines at Belle Vue only when Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are playing, but definitely wrong under the FA's guidelines to referees 2002 - to discuss what they had seen and what they had imagined. The result was red cards for both Crossley and Yates, whose violent conduct could only have been for stopping a punch with his body, putting his hands up in self-defence and talking to an opponent.

Two minutes later, with the crowd still buzzing at Mr Lawson's gross over-reaction (cautions for both players would have sufficed), Hendon squandered another great scoring opportunity. This time is was Crace who beat the offside trap and had a clear run at Paul Cuss's goal. As the keeper came out of his penalty area, Crace tried a lob that was struck far too hard and sailed over the target.

Simeon Bambrook was the next player to fall foul of the referee. In the 16th minute his high, reckless challenge deservedly brought him a yellow card. Five minutes later, the card count was levelled as Iain Duncan was correctly cautioned for pulling down Lincoln Adams as he tried to get free.

In the 25th, 28th and 30th minutes, Hendon finally put efforts on target. First, Eugene Ofori wriggled his way past Steve Nicholson and Tonks to create a shooting space for himself, but his shot lacked the power to trouble Cuss.

Three minutes later, Cuss was beaten by a curling free-kick from Kieran Gallagher. Nicholson, however, read the situation and was on the goalline to head the ball away, drawing a wry smile from Wakefield boss Ronnie Glavin, "He shouldn't have been there, but I'm glad he was."

Crace was then denied by a fine save from Cuss after he had enjoyed the rare pleasure of getting the better of Paul David. From the resulting corner, Forbes - under pressure from a defender - put a header over the bar.

In the 37th minute, Wilson was cautioned for a late tackle. Within 8 minutes, his participation in the match was at an end. A poor clearance from David Hook was kept in play by Duncan, who knocked the ball in the air. As he tried to control it, Wilson came from Duncan's blind side and was sent tumbling.

Duncan, realising he was skating on the thinnest of ice immediately went over to apologise to both Wilson and referee, explaining to the latter that Wilson had come from his blind side and he hadn't seen him coming. Mr Lawson accepted Duncan's argument and signalled for the free-kick to be taken.

Wilson, however, was not satisfied with the lack of a card and complained to the match official. Told to go away, Wilson instead confronted Mr Lawson and used more foul and abusive language. Without hesitation, Mr Lawson pulled out the red card and Wilson had to be dragged away from both the referee and Duncan before making the lonely trudge to the increasingly crowded dressing room.

At half-time Hendon made a tactical change, withdrawing Duncan, introducing Dale Binns and going to a 3-4-2 formation with Gallagher on his preferred right side. The first chance of the half fell to Wakefield's Miles Thorpe, but his effort went 10 yards wide.

Binns started to enjoy himself down the left wing and he gave Nicholson a hard time with a couple of vintage runs. One pull-back was lifted over the bar by Crace and another led to a cross which was headed out for a corner. From this, Towler should have put his header on target instead of powering it over the bar.

Hendon then had a loud appeal for a penalty turned down. Crace ran to control a pass from Woolner with substitute Rudi Coleano - on for the ailing Adams - close behind. Before the ball arrived Coleano had crashed into the back of Crace sending him sprawling. Mr Lawson was unmoved.

On the hour mark, three events changed the balance of play. First, Rob Haworth took over from Ofori. A minute later, Bambrook went past Mark Cooper and Steve Butler, but was denied a shot at goal by Hook, who raced off his line and smothered the ball at the striker's feet.

Within seconds, the Peewits brought on Chris Senior for the struggling Lee Ryan and he immediately caused problems down the right wing. He forced Binns into a more defensive role leaving Haworth and Crace somewhat isolated up front.

One run around the back of the defence set up a great chance for Bambrook but he wasted it. Next time, Senior took the ball himself and he fired a shot that flew past Hook and the far post too.

In the 71st minute, Towler headed a Gallagher cross at goal. It should have been a routine save for Cuss, but he fumbled the ball and was grateful to watch it bobble just past his right upright.

With just over 10 minutes remaining, Hendon were forced to counter the danger posed by Senior by bringing on Jamie Burgess at the expense of Gallagher, whose crossing had been disappointing in the second half. Hendon also reverted to their preferred defensive alignment and immediately looked more solid.

A 50-metre run from Forbes should have given Crace a chance to win the game in the 85th minute, but his threaded pass was well read by Paul David, who was easily the best player on the pitch.

"I am pleased with our application, our passing, our effort and our commitment," said manager Dave Anderson. "However I am not happy with our play in the final third of the pitch. But we are still in the competition, and that is important."