Hendon made it a most profitable week when Mark Cooper scored a last-gasp winner against Billericay Town at Claremont Road on Thursday evening. The 2-1 win gave the Dons 10 points from 4 games and consolidated their top-4 spot, 5 points behind third-placed St Albans City, with 3 games in hand.

Hendon rang the changes, with Tuesday's 5 substitutes, David Hook, James Burgess, Eugene Ofori, Jack Midson and Dale Binns, coming in for Gary McCann, Micky Woolner, Ricci Crace, Martin Randall and Lee Endersby, all except Woolner replacing them on the bench.

The first half was excellent entertainment, even if the quality of football was not the highest. Both teams had openings in the first 15 minutes, but neither took advantage. A pair of half-chances for Ofori foundered on the rock of defence who was Ollie Adedeji. In the 27th minute, Midson made a good run across the penalty area and fired a shot that swerved just wide of the far post with Jerome John beaten.

Two minutes later, Billericay took the lead. An attack down the left wing sucked in the Hendon defence and when the ball was across to the right flank, Stuart MERRITT was all alone. His shot was both powerful and well-directed, flying across Hook into the net.

John infuriated Hendon's fans by turning towards them and shouting, "Come on." On the field, Hendon's response was rapid and effective.

Ninety seconds later, a long throw from Lee Harvey was ineffectively punched away by John and bounced towards the edge of the penalty area. Ricardo ALVES was fastest to react and although off-balance was still able to lift the ball over the ruck of players between the penalty spot and 6-yard box, between the covering Nick Savidge and Merritt, into the net.

Adedeji came to Billericay's aid on a couple of occasions before half-time to keep the scores level. Without him, the Blues looked very vulnerable.

It was a different story after the break. Billericay had most of the possession, but Cooper and Harvey were in dominant form, but neither Iain Duncan nor Burgess could get forward often enough to support Paul Yates and Binns further upfield. Alves' energy was such that Paul Towler could play his holding role quite deep and still have a creative outlet.

For all their ball, Billericay didn't create many clear openings. They wasted a couple of free-kicks in dangerous positions and and with only 1 win since February, their lack of confidence was clear to see.

Indeed, when Hendon attacked, they looked more dangerous. Harvey saw a header palmed away and Cooper knocked the rebound over the crossbar. Then Yates couldn't quite rise high enough to direct a powerful header on target. Crace replaced Midson, but he couldn't make the breakthrough, he and Binns getting in each other's way 20 yards from goal.

Then, with the game deep in stoppage time, Binns saw an opening and curled a shot from an acute angle. The ball was probably going to dip lower than crossbar height but not curve inside the far post. John took no chances and pushed it away for a corner, taken by Binns.

It was headed away for a corner on the opposite wing. This time it was Yates who took it and it was scrambled to beyond the far post, 2 yards from the corner of the 6-yard box. Falling backwards, COOPER swung his boot at the ball and lifted it over everybody into the roof of the net.

He wheeled away in joy only to be brought down by ecstatic teammates. Billericay had time only to kick-off and pass the ball towards the touchline before the final whistle blew.

"We left it a bit late," admitted manager Dave Anderson, with a grin on his face. "I can't say enough about the team for their attitude. This was our 6th game in 13 days and we were still going for it in the dying seconds."