Hendon produced what was quite possibly their worst performance of the season in going down to a 6-1 hammering at strugglers East Thurrock United on Saturday afternoon. Things may not have gone for the Greens in terms of injuries during the match, but the game was over as a contest long before they hit.

Tony Taggart returned to the starting line-up in place of Jose Figura, while Archange Nkumu came in for Adam Wallace. Elias Moses was drafted in as a substitute but was not used.

The Greens could hardly have made a worse start. They conceded a corner rather needlessly and, from the set-piece, the marking was questionable at best as Sam Higgins headed home past Joe McDonnell to give the Rocks an early lead.

It would proved to a momentous day for the striker, who has recently returned to the club after playing for Concord Rangers in Conference South for most of the season.

East Thurrock were far and away the better team, but for 35 minutes failed to make their domination count. Hendon were left with two or three long-range chances which didn't trouble the home defence, expertly marshalled by Simon Peddie.

Higgins tormented Sam Flegg and Jack Bennett and he got the better of them again six minutes before the break. He doubled the East Thurrock lead with a powerful strike on the half-volley and put them well and truly in the driving seat.

Then, in the final minute of the one-sided half, the game was effectively over as a contest when Neil Richmond made it 3-0. Having scored twice, Higgins was the creator this time around slipping a perfectly weighted pass into the Richmond's path.

Before the start of the second half, Hendon withdrew both Flegg and Tony Taggart, sending on Dave Diedhiou and Anthony Thomas. A double-change at half-time is always risky, though, and Hendon paid a heavy price in the first 15 minutes following the resumption.

First, skipper Kevin Maclaren had to go off and Figura replaced him. Then, just before the hour mark, it was brother Casey who departed the scene. With all three changes made, it meant that the Greens had to play the final half-hour with 10 men.

A tiny glimmer of hope came in the 65th minute, when Leon Smith netted. Hendon broke on a rare counter-attack, and Smith fired a powerful shot past David Hughes

Would the Rocks crumble after conceding a goal and seeing their lead reduced? The answer was an emphatic "No", and, instead, they went back on the attack and restored the three-goal cushion within a few minutes. Higgins became East Thurrock's all-time leading goalscorer when he completed his hat-trick in the 69th minute, this time with a volley from the edge of the penalty area.

A few minutes later, Rocks boss John Coventry had the luxury of taking off Higgins, plus Ryan Sammons and Nicky Symons, resting them for bigger battles ahead. On came Connor Witherspoon, Ross Parmenter and Sam Lechmere.

Almost immediately, the lead was extended when Mitchell Gilbey worked his way into the penalty area, got through the defence and, as McDonnell came off his line, slipped the ball the on-rushing goalkeeper.

With 10 minutes remaining, Gilbey grabbed his second goal of the afternoon, this one being a tap-in after Lewis Smith had struck the crossbar with a shot. It completed a truly miserable afternoon for all of the Hendon players, officials and supporters who had made the trip into Essex.