Hendon enjoyed an excellent afternoon against Witham Town on Saturday, not only picking up three points from a composed performance, but benefiting from poor results suffered by the teams immediately above and below them.

The Greens moved back to fourth in the table, seven points behind Dulwich Hamlet, but they have five games in hand. Hendon also have two games in hand on nearest chasers Metropolitain Police (three points behind) and four games in hand on the teams in sixth, seventh and eighth.

There was only one change from the 11 who started against Maidstone in the Robert Dyas (League) Cup quarter-final ten days earlier, Sam Murphy making way for Aaron Morgan. Dan McNicholas was named on the bench, but the goalkeeper, like Max McCann was not required.

In the opening quarter, Hendon enjoyed complete control and it was a little surprise that it took as long as 22 minutes for them to open their account. In the ninth minute, Kezie Ibe controlled the ball just outside the angle of the penalty area and fired a speculative shot.

Martyn Guest was a little off his line, but the goalkeeper was at full stretch as he pushed the ball aside. Andre Da Costa raced in kept the ball in play, but had no angle to work with so passed back across the penalty area.

Morgan dummied the ball - probably on a call from Lee O'Leary - and the skipper's shot beat Guest all ends up. Unfortunately for O'Leary, he could not beat the post and the rebound favoured Witham.

The next chance fell to Morgan, but his good approach work was not matched by his finish. Morgan's shot was on target, but he rather scuffed it and Guest had an easy save.

In the 23 minute, James Fisher intercepted a hopeful through ball from Witham and deftly headed the ball forward to Casey Maclaren, who quickly turned and knocked the ball into space where Ibe was running.

Having timed his run to perfection, Ibe was clear of the last man and had only the advancing Guest to beat. The lob was perfectly weighted and on target, but Ibe still needed to roll the ball into the net from five yards as Conor Mead tried to get back.

For most of the rest of the half, Witham were back in the game, but they lacked a cutting edge. Maclaren got in the way of a long-range shot, but it may have been going wide, and Mead also tried his luck from distance. On this occasion, Ben McNamara made a routine save.

Just before half-time, Morgan found himself with a clear run at goal. Paul King came across to intercept and he timed his tackle perfectly, taking the ball cleanly, but hurting his knee in the process.

With started the second half in positive mood but Dave Diedhiou, Tony Taggart, Charlie Goode and Elliott Brathwaite were utterly dominant and neither Luke Callender nor Lewis Godbold got even in a look-in. Brathwaite and Goode, in particular were outstanding, giving McNamara a quiet afternoon.

Eight minuates after the resumption, King limped off and he was joined by Ryan Blackman on the walk to the dugout. In their places came Paul White and Chris Bryan. Ten minutes later, former Hendon defender Garry Kimble, the Witham manager, made his final change, Jamie Guy taking over from Godbold.

Witham favoured playing down their left side where Ryan Charles tried hard, but he rarely got the better of Diedhiou, but it did limit the Hendon full-back's opportunities to get forward.

For all of the Witham pressure, when Hendon did make rare forays forward, their attacks carried a great deal more ménace and there were a number of desperate last-ditch challenges. A powerful run from Da Costa needed help in the box but his cross was nearly turned into his own net by White.

When Da Costa moved in from the right flank a few minutes later, Ibe was in support. Ibe's shot was low and true, Guest's save was breathtakingly good and Witham remained in the game.

Hendon made two changes with Morgan being replaced by Ollie Sprague and Da Costa making way for Leon Smith. And it did not take Smith take long to set up the Greens’ second goal.

Just inside the left edge of the penalty area, Smith had three players coming to close him down, so he rolled the ball across the 18-yard-box. Ibe stole a yard on White, but the ball was a little in front of him. White attempted to wrestle Ibe to the ground, but despite the illegal approaches of the substitute, Ibe still was able to lift the ball into the roof of the net.

Guest's reaction was to berate his defence and an altercation developed between him and Taylor Hastings. Although it was quickly broken up, both players were probably fortunate not to receive any sanction from the referee.

With three minutes of normal time remaining, Mead sent in a rising shot which McNamara had to stretch to tip over the crossbar. It was nothing like as difficult as Guest's three best saves of the afternoon, but it was the most difficult thing McNamara had to do.