Hendon gave themselves a huge boost in their bid to secure Premier Division safety with a 2-0 win at bottom club Heybridge Swifts on Saturday afternoon. The result leaves the Greens just three points from safety, with the Essex side a further 5 points adrift in last place.

Gary McCann made just one change to the starting line-up that drew 2-2 against Tooting & Mitcham United last week with Kevin Maclaren replacing Danny Dyer.

The first chance of the game fell to the home side after five minutes when Michael Crick headed wide having been left unmarked at the far post. Shortly afterwards, Hendon were on the attack when James Parker found Harry Hunt. The striker carried the ball towards goal, but a defender made a timely intervention, playing the ball off Hunt and out for a goalkick.

Bad news came for Hendon in the 14th minute when Hunt was disposessed by Chris Bourne. Bourne certainly won the ball in the challenge, but unfortunately for Hendon the challenge left Hunt with a knock that prevented him from continuing. The striker was replaced by Brian Haule at the next break in play.

The next chance fell to the Greens, Marc Leach firing a free-kick into the penalty area, but Lee O’Leary being unable to direct his header on target. Two minutes later Peter Dean appeared to be through on goal but his shot was well blocked by Bourne's lunging attempt to get between ball and goal

From there on the first half was largely devoid of chances, but was notable for a number of robust challenges from Heybridge, some of which left Hendon players carrying knocks for the rest of the game.

Hendon’s best chance of the remainder of the half came on the half hour mark when Dean took a free kick 20 yards from goal and saw the ball curl narrowly wide of the far post with Ollie Morris-Sanders beaten.

The first foul of the second half came 10 seconds in, when Sam Collins was brought down. Jamie Busby took the free kick and it was headed over the bar for a corner by Luke Fisher, by far and away Heybridge’s best player of the afternoon.

Two minutes later Haule flicked the ball onto Dean, but his first time shot was wide of the target. Hendon continued to probe, and the next chance fell to Sam Collins who saw hit shot fly at the keeper following good work by O’Leary.

The home side had a great chance to take the lead in the 65th minute when Bourne was left unmarked, but he contrived to fire the ball over the bar when it appeared easier to score.

In the 75th minute the game really came to life. First Heybridge had what appeared to be a good penalty shout turned down when a player was pushed in the penalty area. Two minutes later Hendon had a penalty shout of their own turned down when Jamie Busby appeared to be fouled in a goalmouth scramble - Morris-Sanders admitted to those behind the goal that he felt both were penalties.

There was futher drama in the 78th minute. The ball had been cleared for a corner by the Swifts following a Hendon attack. Heybridge central defender Ian Wiles seemed to take exception to something the Heybridge keeper, Morris-Sanders, had done and pushed him over. Morris-Sanders was understandably upset by this and flew at Wiles with fists flying. Unfortunately for Morris-Sanders, the referee only saw the second part of this and he sent off the keeper for violent conduct. If truth be told, had the referee seen Wiles push Morris-Sanders over, he would almost certainly have been sent off as well. The experienced defender could count himself very lucky to still be on the pitch.

This meant that Heybridge were forced to bring on young reserve keeper Jamie Bowyer into the action, with Russell Pond being sacrificed. His first task was to pick the ball out of the net when Haule headed home the corner from close range at the far post to give Hendon the lead.

There were few further chances in the game, with the Hendon defence holding firm. However, in the fifth minute of stoppage time the Greens doubled their lead in bizarre fashion. Bowyer received a throw in from one of his team mates but his clearance hit Haule and rebounded into the six yard box.

The tall striker was quickest to respond, chased the ball down and was able to divert the ball into the net past Bowyer's desparing dive to secure three much needed points in Hendon’s battle against relegation.

Manager Gary McCann was delighted after the game and said “We had to work really hard for that today but I am delighted with the result. The fact that other results, except for Margate winning, have gone our way has made the win even sweeter.”

(Report By Steve Rogers - Not to be reproduced without the author's permission)