HENDON 2 STAINES TOWN 1

After the euphoria of Saturday's FA Cup heroics at Woking, Staines came down to earth with a bump when they narrowly and unfortunately lost away to high flying Hendon in the League.

Steve Cordery fielded an unchanged side for the chilly evening game at Hendon's famous but aging Claremont Road ground.

Hendon's teamsheet included ex-Swan Dean Green, and Lubomir Guentchev, one of the two sons of Bontcho Guentchev who play for The Greens.

On a chill evening, Staines attacked the clubhouse end of the well-grassed but somewhat bobbly ground.

After their exertions of the past seven days, Staines were a little slow out of the blocks, and although Mark Nwokeji dribbled across the 18 yard box before firing just wide, it was Hendon who opened the scoring on 24 minutes.

They were awarded a free-kick for a foul several yards beyond the right-hand angle of the penalty box, and Marc Leach cracked it in directly with an unstoppable shot from 25 yards.

However, this seemed to be the spur that Staines needed and Adrian Toppin went close shooting just over.

There was a booking apiece, Gareth Risbridger and James Parker for fouls, before Staines really applied the pressure in the final stages of the half.

Nwokeji sent a snapshot just over from a whipped cross by Lewis Cook, and Risbridger made a powerful run which was only ended by a super tackle.

The last action of the half saw Nwokeji ride a challenge and feed Marc Charles-Smith, who squared for Toppin, who in turn volleyed just over.

The second half continued with Staines in the ascendancy, with Marc Charles-Smith untidily bundled off the ball by goalkeeper Luke Blackmore and a defensive team mate just as he darted towards the box, and Blackmore then making a comfortable save from Risbridger.

On 54 minutes, Nwokeji picked out Lewis Cook in a good position, but he was harried out of possession by the home defence, and they in turn launched an attack that ended with Shaun Allaway denying the dangerous Davis Haule as he raced clear.

At the other end, Nwokeji battled his way through and earned a 58th-minute corner, which was curled in and against the crossbar by Dwain Clarke.

Staines made a pair of attacking substitutions on the hour, with Howard Newton and Victor Asombang added to the striking options.

Newton was very quickly involved, setting up Charles-Smith for a shot which was tipped over the bar.

Newton took the corner himself, exchanged passes with Marcel Nugent, and then brought the ball into the box.

He skipped over a challenge that might well have resulted in a penalty, if he had not kept his footing, outsmarted the keeper, and fired into the bottom corner to deservedly equalise.

Leach tried to restore The Greens' advantage with a snap shot which went just wide a few minutes later, as the game opened out.

Davis Haule' shot was saved at the expense of a corner, which led to Leach firing just wide. The game's most controversial moment came on 76 minutes, when Asombang made a tricky run down the right and sent in a low cross.

Defender Davis Haule stooped to block the ball with his arm, but the officials were all unsighted and no penalty was thus given.

Frustratingly, Staines then surrendered the share of the points which they had more than earned, when a corner on Hendon's right was sent into the box, and forced home by Brian Haule, who had only come on as a sub seven minutes earlier.

Staines now tried hard for an equaliser, but Charles-Smith's snapshot was parried, with Asombang unable to turn in the rebound, and the chance was gone.

The second half bookings went to Toppin for dissent after conceding a foul, and Busby for a high footed challenge that caught Charles-Smith in the shoulder.

Staines: Allaway; Nugent, Sargent, Gordon, Flitter capt, Risbridger (Thomas 84), Cook (Asombang 60), Toppin, Charles-Smith, Nwokeji, Clarke (H Newton 60); unused J Newton, Courtnage.Hendon: Blackmore, Maclaren (Burgss HT), Page, Leach, Parker , Busby, D Haule, L Guentchev (B Haule 75m), Green, Aiteoukrim (Arkadiusz 84), W O'Sullivan; Dyer, Ursell.Ref: Michael D Rowley (Woodley, Reading, Berkshire); ARs Simon Maynard (Leigh-on-Sea), Peter Hitt (Aylesbury). Att 164.