Hendon disaster

Hendon

Hendon

3
Dennis (76), Yerby o.g. (79), Shields (85)
Slough Town

Slough Town

0
League Attendance: 330
It had to happen sooner or later, but the manner in which Slough Town surrendered their proud Servowarm Isthmian League, Premier Division unbeaten run this season at Claremont Road on Tuesday evening was surprising to say the least.

Had you not witnessed the sparkling display they had produced three days earlier against Bideford in the FA Cup, it would be hard to believe that this was the same Slough side.

And, perhaps even more disappointing was the fact that although Hendon certainly deserved this victory they were probably one of the poorest sides the Rebels have faced all season.

It seemed throughout that Slough were still living on cloud nine after their tremendous win on Saturday, and the news that they had drawn Millwall at home in the first round proper of the FA Cup.

They appeared to have no appetite for the task in hand, did not really create a single worthwhile chance in the match and lacked the necessary bite and commitment to really ever trouble Hendon.

Tony Doherty, signed from Basingstoke on Monday, made his debut in the heart of the Slough defence, while with Alan Paris having signed for First Division Watford on the afternoon of the match Francis Araguez moved into an unaccustomed midfield role.

From the start the Rebels were always struggling as they lacked ideas on how to break down the Hendon defence, in which Paul Shields proved a resolute figure, and the midfield quickly surrendered overall domination.

The longer the match progressed so the worse Slough became, and after a first half in which the standard of football produced by both sides was abysmal Hendon took the game by the scruff of the neck after the interval.

They hustled and bustled Slough into mistake after mistake and it seemed only a matter of time before their tremendous commitment and enthusiasm would be rewarded.

It took a string of competent saves from Frank Parsons to keep them out, while the woodwork came to the Rebels rescue after 69 minutes when Duncan Hardy's header struck the post.

But then 14 minutes from the end Hendon finally broke through, when Desmond Dennis cracked home a scorching shot from about 20 yards out and Slough had conceded their first league goal since September 25.

Any hopes of a comeback from the Rebels was soon dented when three minutes later they conceded a disastrous second goal. A poor pass from Doherty put Dave Yerby under great pressure, and challenged by Hardy he appeared to slice the ball over the advancing Parsons into the net.

Slough's misery was then completed five minutes from time when Parsons mishandled a Dermot Drummy free-kick and Shields simply headed home. And to complete a black night for the Rebels Joe Moloney was booked in the first half after a confrontation with Drummy, as Slough suffered their first league defeat in 12 matches this season.

Hendon Lineup

Rebels

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