Hendon reached the final of the Ryman League Premier Division Playoff with another heart-stopping performance on a wet night at Earlsmead. Metropolitan Police left the ground cursing their luck and decisions that went against them.

After the fright against Tooting & Mitcham United in the London Senior Cup a week a week earlier, Hendon rang the changes. Sam Murphy and Aaron Morgan were given starts at the expense of skipper Kevin Maclaren and Leon Smith, both of whom were named substitutes alongside Dave Diedhiou, Peter Dean and goalkeeper Brendan Hazlett.

But there was good news for Hendon in that Sam Flegg was fit to play after being substituted with a injury seven days previously.

There was a lot of deja vu about this victory, compared to the one two months earlier. The Greens' two goalscorers were the same as in March, though in a different order. What was different, however, was that Hendon had to come from behind to achieve this win.

Although they started slowly, Hendon very nearly took the lead in identical fashion to the League fixture. Andre Da Costa, who scored with a magnificent free-kick in the first game was presented with a chance from an almost identical position, eight minutes into this encounter.

Stuart Searle, who had missed the League fixture, had not been briefed on what Da Costa was capable, and he stood rooted to his spot as the free-kick curled over the defensive wall, but dipped a fraction too late to go under the crossbar. The rebound bounced away to safety.

"If that had gone in, I would have stood and applauded," admitted the keeper.

The Metropolitan Police pressure grew more intense and the Blues had a loud penalty appeal waved away. A few minutes later, however, the Greens were not so lucky with their defending.

Charlie Goode was caught in possession inside his own penalty area - a call from a team-mate would have helped him - then tried to retrieve the situation, but slipped over, colliding with Bradley Hudson-Odoi. As he lay on the ground, the ball was struck against his outstretched arm.

The referee ruled the first challenge was not a foul, but as his arm was not in a natural position, he awarded a penalty for the handball. As Goode had not moved it towards the ball, took no further action against the defender.

Charlie Collins lifted the spot-kick just enough to over the outstretched arm of Ben McNamara as the goalkeeper guessed correctly but could not keep out the ball. The goal roused Hendon, who gradually got a toe-hold in the game and began to exert pressure of their own.

The equaliser arrived in the 32nd minute. Morgan, who teased and tormented the Blues defence, forced a corner. Murphy took it and the weight and swerve were perfect, because Searle could not get close to it. Casey Maclaren, however, could get to the ball and he sent it into the roof of the net.

The remainder of the first half saw both teams' attacks looking dangerous, but the two defences did just enough to keep the opposition out. For the Police, Jay Lovett and Steve Sutherland stood out, while Elliott Brathwaite and Goode restricted Hudson-Odoi and Jake Reid to scraps.

Two minutes into the second half, Hendon took the lead and, after Morgan and Kezie Ibe had created panic in the visitors' defence, the ball fell to Da Costa. He had a first-time shooting chance, but instead opted to better his angle. It was great decision, because Searle could only stand and watch as Da Costa's shot curled just inside the angle of post and crossbar.

Forced to chase the game, Matt Pattison was introduced by the Blues at the expense of Nikki Ahamed. This, in some ways played into Hendon's hands because Murphy and Da Costa out wide and Ibe and Morgan down the middle had a growing number of opportunities.

Searle made a good save to keep out an effort from Murphy, then a brilliant one to deny Lee O'Leary. A great low cross from Oliver Sprague then just missed the incoming Ibe and Morgan, but Rob Bartley's clearance attempt fell to O'Leary's whose first-time effort was booked for the top corner, until Searle pushed it aside.

It was almost Morgan's last contribution as Kevin Maclaren came on to replace him, shoring up the midfield for the final 15 or so minutes.

At the other end, McNamara caught a couple of teasing crosses before producing a top save of his own. He stretched his full frame to palm aside the long-range effort.

Lovett and Collins both produced clearances near to their goalline as Hendon continued to create good openings. And with 13 minutes left, another Greens counter-attack left the Police in a deeper hole.

Da Costa charged forward, but Bartley stopped him with a challenge at full stretch, catching him with the defender's studs catching Da Costa above the knee. It was too far out to be considered denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity. However, the referee ruled the challenge was serious foul play and thus showed Bartley a red card.

Collins was sacrificed almost immediately with Elliott Taylor coming on for the Blues' goalscorer. They ramped up the pressure and, in the 87th minute, had the ball in the Hendon net. There was little celebration, however though, Sutherland's shot came after the referee had spotted a foul on McNamara as he came for a cross - which caused him to drop the ball.

The free-kick was shuttled downfield and Murphy raced to the ball as it bounced just outside the penalty area. He was beaten the ball by Searle, but the goalkeeper's hand ensured Murphy could not reach it.

Searle was certainly unlucky in that the ball bounced badly for him, but his illegal use of the hand clearly denied Murphy the chance to run at goal. Even with Sutherland covering, the chance for Murphy to score was obvious, so the red card for Searle was almost inevitable.

Craig King - also a goalkeeper - came on for Hudson-Odoi, not the last change the Blues bench would have wanted to make. The replacement took an age to be made, and the Hendon free-kick came to nothing but, the match was in added time.

But there was plenty of time left for the Police to get an equaliser if they were good enough. Almost seven minutes of stoppage time shredded more Hendon nerves, but there was no serious response to send the happy Greens into the playoff final.