Home comfort at last for Hendon

HENDON 2 MERSTHAM 1

HENDON fans celebrated with beer at a pound-a-pint as they finally broke their Silver Jubilee Park league drought with their first home win at their new ground.

Something had to give in this encounter.

Hendon’s abysmal home record was merely the equal of Merstham’s dismal away form.

And these have been the major reasons for both sides struggling in the division’s bottom five despite the hosts notching five away league wins this season.

The Greens dominated the first half, but did little to stretch Phil Wilson in the Merstham goal.

Wilson made a good save to deny Keagan Cole and routine ones to keep out efforts from Sam Murphy, Cole and Reis Stanislaus.

The best chance for the Moatsiders was a Dena McDonald free-kick which went narrowly over the bar.

Greens keeper Tom Lovelock made three excellent saves in the first dozen minutes of the second half, twice denying Dan Bennett and also keeping out Shane Cojokarel.

And Hendon took the lead on the hour when Casey Maclaren powered home a header from a corner.

They then lived on their nerves for the next few minutes and McDonald was denied an equaliser by a superb Lovelock save.

Then, with five minutes left, Hendon made the game safe.

Merstham lost possession just inside their own half, Matt Ball had options right and left and only two defenders in front of him.

He picked out Karl Oliyide who finished calmly.

With one minute of stoppage time played, Merstham did pull a goal back through substitute Raekwon BaileyAllen.

But there were no more alarms before the final whistle.