Hendon were made to pay for not making the most of their first-half chances as their struggles continued with a 2-0 defeat at Enfield Town in the Ryman Premier Division on Tuesday night.

The Greens dominated possession for much of the opening 45 minutes and were presented with a golden opportunity to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty.

But Aaron Morgan's spot kick was saved and the hosts went on to break the deadlock through a deflected Corey Whitely shot on the stroke of the interval.

Both teams had a number of chances in the second half, but Town sealed their win when Whitely struck again with time running out.

And the match finished on a sour note for the visitors as Dave Diedhiou saw red following an off-the-ball incident deep in stoppage time.

The hosts created the first opportunity of an entertaining encounter on four minutes when a neat move ended with Tayshan-Hayden Smith being put through on goal, only to be thwarted by a terrific covering challenge from Sam Flegg.

Hendon threatened for the first time two minutes later when Ollie Sprague's cross found its way through to Kezie Ibe, but he could only volley over.

Goldy Capela then went close twice for the Greens in quick succession as he was firstly denied by home keeper Nathan McDonald before firing over from a good position.

With the visitors looking dangerous every time they attacked, they were awarded a penalty on 16 minutes when Ibe was bundled over by Ricky Gabriel in the box.

However, Morgan's spot kick lacked power and, having dived the right way, McDonald was able to make a relatively comfortable save.

There was little goalmouth action in the next 20 minutes, but Hendon created another excellent chance seven minutes before the interval.

Capela surged away from Claudiu Vilcu before pulling the ball back to Morgan. His shot beat McDonald but not covering defender Micky Parcell, who was able to make an excellent clearance off the line.

Only the frame of the goal prevented the hosts from taking the lead on 43 minutes as Parcell's fierce cross-shot hit the bar, but there was to be no denying Town in first-half stoppage time.

Having been awarded a free-kick some 30 yards out, Bobby Devyne played a square pass to Whitely, who struck a shot which took a big deflection that sent the ball looping over keeper Joe Wright and into the net.

The start of the second half saw a succession of chances created at both ends, with Tyler Campbell striking the outside of the post for the hosts within three minutes of the restart.

At the other end, Hassan Sulaiman's cross was flicked on by Capela into the path of Ibe. He laid the ball back to Morgan, who could only blaze over from a good position.

Whitely then slipped just as he was about to shoot after a mazy run saw him evade several challenges in the box, while Ryan Doyle became the third home player to be denied by the frame of the goal when he fired against the post on 57 minutes.

Wright made a superb save to deny Devyne after the striker found himself through on goal moments later, but Hendon also continued to look dangerous going forward and Diedhiou put a free header narrowly over from the edge of the six-yard box on the hour.

Olu Durojaiye brought a diving save out of Wright with a 20-yard shot on 63 minutes, before a treble substitution gave the Greens a renewed impetus in attack - with Andre da Costa providing a genuine threat out wide.

And another of the substitutes, Leon Smith, had a great chance to equalise on 14 minutes when he found himself through on goal, but McDonald was equal to the task and denied him with another fine save.

Any hope that the Greens had of getting back into the match was effectively ended when the hosts doubled their lead with four minutes remaining.

Joe Stevens' low cross was cut out by Mark Kirby, but the skipper failed to control the ball properly and Whitely pounced by dispossessing him before drilling low into the net from a tight angle.

Hendon never really threatened after this, but a match which had previously been played in a good spirits suddenly boiled over in the fifth minute of stoppage time as Diedhiou was dismissed following an off-the-ball incident which ended with several players from both sides getting involved.