The first attempt to play this Middlesex Senior Cup Quarter Final, saw Hendon in full flow, but drawing 1-1 when the match was abandoned by referee Matthew Downey, with Wealdstone goalkeeper Dave Godfrey lying on the ground after suffering a rib-muscle injury falling on the icebound pitch. The night was bitterly cold, dropping to -5 degrees, and the pitch was not really safe.

Hendon boss Dave Anderson felt the pitch was playable, but he was in a very small minority with that belief. The stand-side of the White Lion Ground was desperately difficult and it undoubtedly contributed to Hendon's equaliser.

This game kicked off at 8.00 pm following a late inspection by Mr Downey and the delayed start had a bad effect on Wealdstone full-back Rob Courtnage, who strained his quadriceps, in the 11th minute, making his first sprint of the evening, a fine chase back to deny Eugene Ofori.

Courtnage was replaced by replaced by Carl Hunt, whose first contribution was to score an excellent goal. It was set up by Jason Shaw and his slide-rule pass was despatched with aplomb by HUNT.

Hendon tried to hit back almost immediately and Steve Butler came close to connecting with a corner curled in by James Burgess. A corner from Dale Binns was pushed off the top of the crossbar by Godfrey and Ofori came close with another shot.

The equaliser arrived in the 31st minute. It was caused almost entirely by the skidpan conditions down Wealdstone's right side. Dave Ryan was put under pressure by Binns and slipped over twice. He tried to dribble the ball back into his penalty area, near to the goalline, but his control let him down.

Sensing a half chance, Ofori tried to take the ball off Ryan, whose desperate and very dangerous lunge sent Ofori crashing to ground. Mr Downey first awarded a free-kick - having failed to get close to the slowly developing incident - then, on seeing where it had happened, a penalty.

Despite protestations from teammates that he had won the ball, Ryan was very fortunate to receive only a yellow card. As Binns lined up the spot-kick, Danny Tilbury deliberately dislodged the ball from the penalty mark and also was booked. BINNS was not put off as he buried the penalty in the bottom corner.

Three minutes later, Godfrey produced a brilliant save to deny Rob Haworth as Hendon took complete control. He was well beaten in the 38th minute as Ofori let fly from 30 yards. The ball flew off the underside of the crossbar and was hacked away to safety.

In the 41st minute, Burgess required treatment, but as he got ready to continue, it was clear that Godfrey was in deep trouble. He had limped out of his penalty area and collapsed. As he was on the ground receiving treatment, Mr Downey called his 2 assistants to the middle of the field, consulted with them briefly, blew his whistle once and walked off the field.

None of the 150-odd fans were told for at least 5 minutes, although the diminishing number of players on the pitch may have been a clue. The close proximity to half-time did, however, leave some thinking Mr Downey had merely signalled the interval.