Evo-Stick South Premier Division South Saturday 2nd March 2019
Hendon 1 v 0 Basingstoke Town Attendance 259
Well with three losses in a row, we now slip deeper into the mire of the relegation battle, in another pretty drab affair in North London.
There were the usual new signings and new line-up of 1.Tom McGill 2. Jim Orvis 3. Joe Hancott 4.Dean Stow 5.Jack Wakely 6. Kraig Noel-McLeod 7. Sam Smart 8. Michael Atkinson 9. Sam Argent 10. Sam Deadfield (Capt) 11. Ben Wright
On the bench; 12. Everiss 14. A. Harris 15 Hunt 17. Akers
The game got underway, and with most fans still making their way to the stand or terraces, we have the chance of the game as Smart is put through and takes two touches before he hits it at the oncoming keeper.
In the 3rd minute Hendon have their first chance as they break, and send in a deep cross and the shot is pushed over the bar by McGill. The corner is headed clear.
Apart from these two attacks the game on the 3G surface is a mixture of poor passes and poor first touches as both teams seem unable to put any real good movements together.
On 25 mins we create an opening, but Deadfield’s shot goes wide of the far post.
On 27 mins Hendon have a chance to take the lead, but a last ditch block by Wakely stops them from taking the lead.
However, on 31 mins Stoke go behind as another cross deep into the box is met by a Hendon forward who puts it away.
Then on 34 mins, we have another chance, with superb work down the left by Noel-McLeod, who sends the ball over and the shot is thumped over the bar.
The game continues to halftime with little or no more real efforts on goal.
The second-half get underway, and we are the first to create a shot on goal, but Argents shot is straight at the keeper.
On 58 mins somehow Hendon don’t double their lead as a shot is blocked on the line the follow-up is scrambled away, but the ball comes straight back in and another header is saved by a mixture of McGill and the defender on the line and Noel-McLeod hoofs it away.
On 63 mins it’s Wrights turn to miss, as he receives the ball from a good move by Smart & Deadfield finds Wright with time to turn and shoot, but he drags it wide of the goal.
On 69 mins and Hendon miss another chance as a wide-open forward puts his header straight at McGill instead of in the net.
On 74 mins and there’s another chance for Hendon, but our new left back Hancott makes a good double block and then takes the ball upfield, but again we lose the ball as our first touch by some of our players is dreadful.
On 81 mins and possibly our last chance of the game to equalise, as Smart down the right sends a low cross into the goalmouth, the ball is scuffed by the defender straight to one of our players, who again drags the ball wide of the near post.
Hendon to their credit are battling for the ball and chasing down every Stoke player who has the ball.
The game seems to be drifting past 90 mins and Hendon seem happy to take all three points as the ref blows his final whistle.
Final Score: Hendon 1 v 0 Basingstoke Town
Final thought’s – We had chances, we missed chances. The game wasn’t the best and like one or two other fans, stated we were second to the ball and that our first touch on a surface we will play 21 games on next season was fairly poor.
We slip down to 19th in the table, as apart from Frome & Dorchester, everyone else helped their relegation cause yesterday.
Up next is Swindon Supermarine and now getting close to a must win match at the Camrose next Saturday.
Match Report by Martin French..
English 
Polish 