Hendon were punished for a poor performance by Corby Town at the first hurdle of the FA Cup at Steel Park with the Step 4 side comfortably overcoming the Greens after the only goal of the game midway through the second half.

Liam Brooks was fit enough to make his first appearance of the season and started up front whilst Kieron Forbes and Tommy Brewer returned to pair-up in midfield replacing the suspended Christian Smith and injured Bayley Brown.

The visiting side had a let-off in the opening moments of the match as a cross into the box was headed back across goal for Stephen Diggin to meet on the volley. The Corby number 10’s effort thundered off the underside of the crossbar but not over the line.

Hendon began to grow into the game and wrestled some control, however the Steelmen goalkeeper remained untroubled save for coming out to claim a number of crosses into the box with authority. Shaun Lucien had a shot deflected wide for a corner whilst Hamza Semakula also had a goal-bound effort blocked, all too often the final ball was lacking.

Indeed, of ten corner kicks the visiting side won, none reached a blue shirt and at least three drifted out of play for a goal kick.

The second half was, if anything, of even poorer quality than the first as both sides struggled to fashion much in the way of openings. A succession of misplaced passes was interspersed with a string of overhit ones as the assistant referees worked overtime to signal throw-ins.

A couple of efforts from the home side, for whom Diggin remained a threat, went narrowly off target whilst at the other end strong Hendon appeals for a spot kick were waved away when Jayden Clarke appeared to be pushed over inside the penalty area.
The only goal of the game came midway through the second half as a cross in from the left was buried by Niall Towle beyond Fred Burbidge.

Hendon were unable to respond as they might have liked, despite plenty of possession, the Corby Town back three having much the better of Liam Brooks. There was one opening that fell to a blue shirt as Troy Tizard-Cleghorn did well to work some space and flash a powerful effort goalwards, unfortunately it flew wide of the post.

As the game entered stoppage time Tommy Brewer conceded a free-kick and was cautioned near halfway. As the official was brandishing the yellow card a blue shirted player threw the ball at an opponent provoking an unseemly square dance. Once order had been restored, Shaun Lucien was dismissed for a punch whilst a hoard of others from both sides saw yellow.

Six minutes of stoppage time passed without further incident and give the home side a well-deserved progression into the 2nd qualifying round.