A woeful performance saw Carshalton Athletic crash 3-1 at home to Hendon on Saturday and slip into the relegation dogfight.

Hendon's woeful league form pointed to a straightforward home win, but instead they took the lead after seven minutes. A corner from the right was played to the unmarked Jon Munday on the edge of the area and the defender was allowed the time to drill a low drive into the corner of the net.

Carshalton were only behind for four minutes, although the equaliser was tinged with controversy. The referee decided that Luke Fontana had been impeded by defender O'Sullivan's elbow and immediately gave a penalty. After the protests of the defenders had been waved away, Fontana blasted the spot kick beyond diving keeper Wilmot.

This looked to be the tonic the Robins needed and Fontana in particular was looking to be a threat. But Carshalton were knocked back on their heels in the 38th minute when a free-kick from the halfway line received a touch from Jazz Rose that was sufficient to deflect it past the onrushing Seuke to restore Hendon's lead.

Eban Allen went close to equalising with a lob, but Hendon livewire O'Leary then beat the Robins offside trap to dribble round Seuke and put the result beyond doubt.

Even so, Marshall and substitute Charlie Side both went close in a late Carshalton rally.

Carshalton: Seuke, Hartburn, Graves, Cartledge, Harwood, Marshall, Toppin, Maledon (Side), Jabbie (Dundas), Fontana, Allen Sub unused: Platel.

The Robins will need to show a big improvement, starting at Folkestone Invicta this Saturday, if they are to pull clear of the drop zone.