Hendon won their second consecutive Ryman League Premier Division game in a row with a hard-fought, but quite comfortable, 1-0 victory over struggling Heybridge Swifts at LOOT Stadium on Tuesday night. The result lifted the Greens - with 16 points - up to 14th in the table, while Bedford's victory at Chesham saw Swifts sink to the bottom. An indication of how close everything is at the bottom of the table, 6 points separate Maidenhead in 13th with 16 points and Heybridge in 22nd.

New signing Byron Bubb was given a place on the substitutes' bench, while fit-again Davis Haule came in for Ross Pickett in midfield. However, manager Dave Anderson's plans were disrupted by the late loss of flu victim Chris Sparks, who was sent home.

Eugene Ofori and Phil Ruggles proved a real handful for the Heybridge central defence with their direct running and the two combined for the only goal of the game after 8 minutes. A long ball seemed to be going out of play, but Ofori was able to keep it in. He was hemmed in by 2 defenders but somehow managed to get a cross in from the left. RUGGLES timed his run to perfection and he placed his diving, glancing header with great precision in the corner.

Heybridge tried to get back into the game using route one football, but it was meat and drink to Paul Towler and René Street. Behind them, David Hook was in confident form, catching and punching away crosses with authority. Hook did produce one excellent first half save to deny Ronnie Gould after 29 minutes, but alarms were sporadic.

A cross-shot from Ofori went just beyond Ruggles after 32 minutes as Hendon showed the way through the Heybridge defence was from the wings, especially down the left. Dale Binns was strangely subdued, but this may have been because he was suffering the same injury that had seen him withdrawn from the reserve game after half an hour on Saturday.

In the 38th minute, Hendon came desperately close to stretching their lead. A corner from Simon Clarke was aimed at Haule, whose header beat Kingsley Banks, but not Kelly-John Pollard. The defender was right on the goal-line as he headed the ball clear and although he landed a shade behind the line, the assistant referee made the probably correct decision that all of the ball had not crossed the line.

The second half was not as good as the first with Heybridge becoming ever more desperate for an equaliser and Hendon equally keen to get a second goal. As both teams compressed play the midfield became very congested, which was strange because both teams looked more dangerous on the break.

Ofori was ludicrously penalised for a push on Lewis Bailee as both players chased a ball into the corner. The assistant referee was perfectly placed near to the incident and saw nothing wrong, but Mr J Beadle, decided there had been a push.

In the 65th minute, Paul Yates and Haule combined to set up a chance for Street. He had taken up a great position and had a free shot, but his strike was mishit and rolled a couple of metres wide.

Three minutes later, Heybridge made a double-switch, bringing on David Kreyling and Ross Taylor for Sean Caton and Gould, but the move did not work. Within 4 minutes, Taylor had limped off and Tommy Santer replaced him. Hook produced another good save after 79 mintues to deny Kevin Budge, and Simon Parker shot wide from just outside the Hendon penalty area as the nerves began show.

Pickett replaced Ruggles with 8 minutes of normal time remaining and should have had an immediate effect. Excellent work from Haule created a good opening for Pickett, but the substitute went for power rather than placement and the ball went over inches over the bar.

In stoppage time, Mr Beadle cautioned Haule, who was desperately unlucky even to be penalised. The Hendon player was quicker to a loose ball and had knocked it out towards an unmarked Binns on the wing as a Heybridge player slid in. The referee must have been the only person in the ground to think there had even been a foul.

"We desperately needed a second goal tonight," said Mr Anderson. "It would have settled us down and we could have started to play a bit."