Hendon bowed out of their final cup competition at home to Northwood in the Middlesex Senior Cup on Monday night at LOOT Stadium.

Northwood's tactics of harrying Hendon all over the pitch paid dividends as the injury-struck Dons were never allowed time to play at the pace they wished.

Full credit must go to the Ryman League Division two high-flyers - they lie 32 places below Hendon, but are the League's leading goalscorers with 77 goals from 27 matches - Woods created the better chances and were, in fact, guilty of making some glaring misses.

Hendon made a number of changes from the team which drew at Billericay on Saturday; out went John-Simon White, Davis Haule and Paul Whitmarsh, replaced by Curtis Warmington, Marvyn Watson and Mavuto Sakala, Defensively little changed, and while Watson is not as good an attacking midfielder, the real loss was felt up front.

Simon Clarke limped out of the game after just 8 minutes, giving way to Dale Binns. It meant that in Warmington and Binns, Hendon had two players who had played a combined 135 minutes (Warmington's 90 coming in a reserve game) in 5 months. In the circumstances, Warmington's 65 minutes were a real bonus.

Binns had shown glimpses of his pre-Christmas form with a magnificent run that was marred only by a wayward shot, but the way he handled his boot after the run, suggested that his heel had been clipped, just as probably self-inflicted as by an opponent.

Northwood then squandered an amazing chance after 32 minutes, when James Burgess drilled a shot high over the bar when clean through on Andy Iga.

However, the match turned in the first half, when the scores were still level. Dominic Gentle broke free of Northwood's well-marshalled offside trap and had a clear run on goal. Goalkeeper Paul Riordan was stuck on his line as if his studs had grown roots.

Gentle was three yards clear of Danny Butler as he steadied himself to shoot. He never got a chance. Butler ran into the back of him, sending Gentle sprawling, face down inside the penalty area. Mr M Robinson however ignored penalty appeals, and instead booked Gentle for dissent.

Hendon had two great chances to take the lead in the second half, both from headers. First Jon Daly was unchallenged as he headed a cross against the outside of the post. Then Gentle did not get good power on a header. Riordan made a spectacular save, when a step across to his left would have sufficed.

These chances were very much against the run of play and it was no surprise when, following a 67th minute goalmouth scramble, Dave Sergeant forced the ball home from close range.

The goal arrived two minutes, after Hendon's already beleaguered defence had been weakened further by Warmington's withdrawal. His replacement, Haule being a more attacking option.

Hendon fans were resigned to their fate when a third defender, Matt Howard, was taken off with 11 minutes to go. Instead of the attacking Bontcho Guentchev or Paul Whitmarsh, manager Frank Murphy sent on a 6th midfielder in Jason McKoy. He had one run and woefully inaccurate shot.

Afterwards, Mr Murphy revealed that Whitmarsh had been struggling with a niggle in his groin. It begged the question why neither Paul Scott nor Nathan Edwards were considered if Whitmarsh was not going to be used.

Mr Murphy agreed that the defeat had been disastrous, but added, "The penalty decision with Dominic is the worst I have ever seen."