Hendon produced a performance of outstanding character in scoring twice in the final 15 minutes to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 victory and a place in the Middlesex Senior Cup Final (where AFC Hayes await on Easter Monday evening at Northwood FC). It is very rare for a team to lead 2-0, then trail 3-2, but still come back to win, but this is what Hendon did at Vale Farm, Wembley, on Tuesday night.

Kevin Maclaren and James Bent returned to the starting line-up after serving suspensions, while Sam Byfield also got a start. Missing out were Marc Leach, Danny Dyer (both substitutes) and Brian Haule.

The Greens could not have made a better start, racing into a two-goal lead inside 13 minutes. Just over three minutes had elapsed when Jamie Busby played a one-two with James Bent and, when he got the ball back, Busby sprinted past Alan Massey before drilling a left-foot shot beyond Sean Thomas's dive. It was the fourth consecutive game in which Busby has scored, and his eight goals this season make it easily his most productive.

In the Ryman League encounter at Grosvenor Vale six weeks ago, Hendon had started well, but not gone on from scoring an early goal. This time it was different - or so it seemed - because when Thomas failed to hold a shot from Byfield after 12 minutes, Sam Collins was quickest to react to the loose ball and he slid it into the net from a few yards out.

Wealdstone were clearly rocked by the double salvo, but they gradually recovered and were clearly on top by the midpoint of the half. Hendon were being pushed further and further back into defence and it was no surprise that they soon broke.

In the 28th minute, the Greens had three opportunities to clear the danger, but they failed, so when the ball fell to Greg Ngoyi, the former Hendon youth-teamer smacked the ball into the bottom corner.

Suddenly Hendon's passing, so crisp and assured in the opening 15 minutes, looked nervous edgy and inaccurate. Defending so deep leaves little room for error and when Wealdstone were awarded a free-kick for handball right on the edge of the penalty area, fans feared the worst. But Ryan Ashe's effort was poorly hit and, at the second attempt, the Greens were able to clear the danger.

When the half-time whistle sounded, it was the Hendon players who were more relieved to hear it. But whatever advice was given out by manager Gary McCann to the players in the dressing did not appear to be heeded, because their passing remained sloppy and the play tentative.

Five minutes after the resumption, Wealdstone forced a corner on the right wing. The ball was curled into the penalty area and an unmarked Ngoyi was able to rise head home pretty much as he pleased.

There only appeared to be one possible winner at this time, and they weren't wearing green. In the 63rd minute, a misplaced pass, just outside the Hendon penalty area, was intercepted by Marvin McCoy. He fed Ngoyi, who duly completed his hat-trick.

From the kick-off, Hendon immediately lost possession again, but this time Wealdstone spurned the opportunity. Clearly Hendon needed to make changes and, in the 69th minute two susbstitutes, Dyer and Glenn Garner, replaced Bent and Byfield.

It was an inspired double substitution because, within six minutes, Hendon had drawn level. Garner had already gone close to reaching a cross from Collins when Peter Dean attacked down the left flank. He cut inside Carl Martin and delivered a perfectly-weighted ball that was just too far away for Thomas to go for.

It fell, instead, for the onrushing Garner, whose first-time strike was low and accurate, but, more importantly, unstoppable. With the goal came confidence and Thomas quickly had to make low saves to keep out goalbound efforts from Lee O'Leary and Dyer.

Wealdstone made their three substitutions in seven minutes, removing tormentor-in-chief Ngoyi, strike partner Ben Alexander and provider McCoy. On came Danny Spendlove, Ben Clarke and Darren Locke but Wealdstone didn't look as dangerous as they had.

Nevertheless, as the game moved into its final minutes, extra time seemed the most likely outcome. The clock had ticked past the 89th minute when Hendon forced a corner on the left wing.

For some reason, Wealdstone decided not to put a defender on the near post, and their marking was pretty slack too. Because, when the ball was curled into the penalty area, both Dean and O'Leary were unchallenged as they ran to meet it. O'Leary got there first and he directed his header towards the vacant near post from 10 yards out.

There were four nervous minutes of stoppage time to be endured by Hendon players, officials and fans alike, but Wealdstone lacked the guile to find a way past the Greens' rearguard.

Mr McCann said, "Let's make sure we get something on the shelf this season. We deserve it for the work we have put in.

"I thought we were excellent for the first 15 minutes and the last 15 minutes, but we were not very good in the middle 60. In that period our passing was poor and we discussed passing the ball out of defence."