David Ballheimer sees Hendon’s FA Trophy run come to an end

Hendon FC players celebrating a goal earlier in the season – (Credit – Derek Beech)

Hendon’s 50th attempt to win the Isuzu FA Trophy came to an end after their most successful run in the competition. The reached the last 16 for the fourth time, but after five wins for the first time.

Clinical and completely professional, Wealdstone were good value for their 4–0 victory against the Greens, who were missing four key players.

The Greens were 2–0 down inside 19 minutes. After six minutes, an errant ball out of defence was intercepted by a blue-shirted midfielder, who quickly passed the ball forward to Alex DYER, who found the corner of the net with a precise strike.

In the 19th minute, the Greens’ defence was breached again and although Matt Kerbey did enough to deny Corie Andrews, the Stones player rolled the ball across the penalty area to Tarryn ALLARAKHIA, who didn’t need second bidding to double Wealdstone’s lead.

Hendon’s first real chance came after 27 minutes, when Richard Pingling’s shot was blocked by Jaydn Mundle-Smith, looping the ball just over the crossbar, to the relief of Marcus Dewhurst who was scrambling to reach the ball.

Hamza Semakula then forced Dewhurst into making a couple of saves, after 31 and 36 minutes. The first shot rather lacked power, but the second required a good stop by the goalkeeper.

In the second half, Hendon started very brightly and two efforts in a minute were blocked, Sam Adenola being thwarted by Jack Cook, the second, from Fin MacNab, by the legs of Dewhurst. The goalkeeper then positioned himself perfectly to deal with a strike from Pingling.

At the other end, Nathan Ferguson fired wastefully wide and shot over too, but soon was playing a key part in the Stones’ third goal jumping over the ball after good work from Andrews and, with the Hendon defenders drawn out of position, ALLARAKHIA completed his double.

The goal of the game came in the 69th minute, a magnificently struck free-kick by Aaron HENRY that curled over the wall and beat Kerbey’s dive.

Hendon showed great resolve in their lost cause. Blaise Riley-Snow fired narrowly over the crossbar, substitute Luca Allinson saw his powerful shot well saved by Dewhurst and, in added time, Perry, who has yet to break his Hendon duck in almost 100 appearances was thwarted by the goalkeeper’s best save of the night.

Wealdstone 4 (Alex Dyer 7, Tarryn Allarakhia 19 & 61, Aaron Henry 63) – Hendon 0

Played at Silver Jubilee Park, Hendon FC on Tuesday 20th February.

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