Two goals in as many second half minutes wrapped up a victory for play-off chasing Hendon with a scoreline that was harsh on the Hornets. Ryan Wharton's 37th minute header was all that separated the sides at half-time but the home side will wonder why they weren't at least on level terms after creating the better chances. Only George Landais will know how he failed to hit the target from 3 yards out, shortly after the break, but they were dealt a double blow with quarter of an hour remaining with two goals that midweek penalty saving hero Michael Hunter will want to forget. His failure to deal with a Darren Currie free-kick enabled George Ngoyi to nip in and head home and then, 2 minutes later, the goalkeeper's clearance cannoned off of Elliott Charles and in to the net to condemn Horsham to their 11th home defeat of the season.

Birthday boy Adam Hutchings was rewarded for his whole-hearted display at Southwick during the week with a place in the starting XI, in place of the suspended Williams Peauroux, in what was the only change from the side that had lost 2-0 at Harrow Borough last weekend although teenage winger 'Toko' Moyo was included among the substitutes along with the recalled Gareth Sanashee. Hendon fielded just 5 of the side held to a 1-1 draw by the Hornets at Vale Park in November, with the addition of the experienced former Brighton man Darren Currie up front.

Darkening skies overhead left half of the pitch bathed in sunlight and the rest in shade at the start of the match and, with a biting wind in their backs, the visitors would have been hopeful of making their meteorological advantage tell in the first half. But it was a strangely flat start to the contest with a clash of heads between Horsham's Ian Varley and Hendon striker Ngoyi the only noteworthy incident of the opening 20 minutes, save for a dangerous run by Ray Freeman that was curtailed by Wharton's fine challenge.

It was some relief, then, when Tommy Murphy's snap shot produced the game's first effort on goal that had Hendon 'keeper Berkely Laurencin unconvincingly bundling the ball behind his own goal. From the resulting corner, Landais' goalbound shot appeared to strike team-mate Freeman on the goal-line and Landais could only strike the loose ball wide. Five minutes later, a fine pass by Freeman sent Murphy away down the left where he slipped the ball through the legs of a defender and put a low pass in for Callum Dunne whose low drive was only inches away from being turned into the net by Landais at full stretch.

It was another promising, if unrewarded, start by the hosts but they were nearly caught napping on the half hour when Charles nipped in behind Varley only to see his header blocked by the alert Hunter from point blank range. Ngoyi then wasted a glorious opportunity to open the scoring when Michael Lewis rose highest to flick on a long goal-kick and the Hendon number 9 nudged Yinka Salami off the ball to leave him with just Hunter to beat but his finish lacked composure and was blasted high over the crossbar.

It took a well rehearsed corner-kick routine to breach the Hornets' defence on 37 minutes. Six visiting players congregated on the near side edge of the penalty area before peeling away in to the box, leaving Maclaren on his own to receive the shortly taken kick. With bodies running this way and that, Maclaren's floated cross was met by the unmarked Wharton who stooped low to send his header inside the bottom corner, beyond the unsighted Hunter.

A deflected effort from Kery Kedze was all the home side could offer in reply, in the minutes that remained, as the visitors retreated to the dressing room holding a single goal advantage.

H/T Horsham 0 Hendon 1

Again the second period was slow to get going but Horsham should have found themselves on level terms on 58 minutes when Liam Flanighan's penetrating pass was hit first time in to the Hendon box by Murphy but Landais, with the goal at his mercy, failed to even hit the target from close range with most of the home supporters already on their feet to acclaim a goal.

The elements came to Horsham's rescue, 5 minutes later, when Charles was found in acres of space but the ball held up in the wind, causing him to check back and his final shot lacked the power to trouble Hunter. Maclaren was enjoying the freedom of the pitch, and able to orchestrate most of the visitors' attacks, prompting Hugo Langton to replace Kedze with the more defensive Jake Jacobs and the youngster did a decent job on the midfielder, restricting the space in which he could operate.

However in Currie and Charles, Hendon had other individuals capable of changing the course of the game and the two were involved as the Greens doubled their lead in the 73rd minute. Charles' dangerous run was stopped illegally by Calum McGeehan on the edge of the Horsham box and, when Currie's free-kick bounced in front of Hunter, the 'keeper couldn't hold it and Ngoyi nipped in to nod the ball past his despairing dive and in to the net for his 7th goal in 8 games. The contrast in fortunes was evident, straight from the restart, when Landais' dipping volley was competently held by Laurencin as it reared similarly up off the turf.

The Hornets' hadn't recovered a two goal deficit all season so their task was made near impossible a minute later when hesitancy at the back led to Varley's slightly underhit backpass and, as Charles raced to close down Hunter, the goalkeeper's clearance smacked him full in the face sending the ball back beyond the luckless stopper and into the net. Whether the poleaxed striker knew much about it is debatable but it was to prove his last contribution to the game as both he and Ngoyi were instantly replaced, with Carl McCluskey and ex-Arsenal man Isaiah Rankin coming on for the last 15 minutes.

The closing stages were uneventful, with the introduction of Ahmed Jahar for Landais making little difference and, although Murphy gave Laurencin a late scare with a fierce left-foot shot that went just the wrong side of the post, Horsham could take only slight solace from the fact that only 2 points were taken by the 4 teams above them as the fight against relegation continues.