Hendon slumped to another home defeat, this time 2-0 to a Staines Town team gunning for the Ryman League Playoffs.

The Greens, who released player-coach Dave Nolan and midfielder Wayne Carter after the weekend, rested top-scorer Mark Nicholls so the player-assistant manager could see the team from the sideline. With points desperately needed, it was a decision that may have made sense in a mid-table team, but not one for a club in Hendon's plight.

Danny Julienne came in for Nicholls, while Shayne Demetrious took over at right-back, where Nolan had been a regular.

The Swans took full advantage, opening the scoring after just two minutes, Eliot Onochie finding himself in acres of space inside the Hendon box, before turning and shooting past the exposed Dave King.

Although Hendon had the bitter wind at their backs in the first half, they failed to use it, and apart from a header from Eugene Ofori - caught by Matt Lovett just under his crossbar - failed to put an effort on target.

Staines were fortunate to go into half-time with a full complement on the pitch. After a late challenge by Julienne on Matt Flitter, the defender reacted with a much worse lunge at René Street.

Hendon improved after the break and, after John Frendo had replaced Ofori, came close to netting an equaliser. First Lovett made an excellent save to keep out a long-range drive from Frendo and then he sprawled low to push aside a shot from Julienne.

On a number of other occasions the Staines defence was at full stretch to keep out dangerous balls into their box. At the moment, luck has deserted the Greens and it seemed as if every bounce, bobble and mishit clearance went to a yellow shirt.

But Staines still looked very dangerous on the attack and they sealed the points in the 79th minute. Onochie, standing alone inside the six-yard box, grabbed his second of the match by deflecting a long-range shot past King.

Hendon manager Gary Farrell said, "We spoke before the game about our shape and discipline in the opening 15 minutes and keeping them out. So what do we do, but concede a goal inside the first two minutes.

"If we had enjoyed just a little of luck in the second half, we could have got something out of the game, but they scored a second goal ten minutes from the end and that was it. We have conceded two more soft goals and that is very disappointing."