Walton & Hersham 0 Hendon 2

Ryman League Premier Division

Hendon fans spent the last ten minutes of Saturday's victory at Walton & Hersham singing: "We're going to win the league."

Their enthusiasm, however misguided, was a joy to hear, as the Greens ended their longest-ever start to a season without an Isthmian League victory.

Hendon remain bottom of the table, but their goal difference is only one worse than Walton's.

And there was further good news, with the sight of manager Gary McCann in the dug-out. He has retracted his resignation.

The Greens almost made the perfect start when Ross Pickett ran on to a throughball, but fired past Nick Gindre and wide. Four minutes later, Dean Green tried his luck from 25 yards, but rather scuffed his shot. Walton were contributing nothing and the inevitable happened in the 17th minute, when Pickett turned his marker before shooting low past Gindre.

Danny Rouco, Green and Lee O'Leary all got themselves into good positions, but failed to increase Hendon's lead.

In the 43rd minute a poor backpass from Will Jenkins put his keeper under unnecessary pressure. Green was quick to close down a return-pass option and Gindre attempted to thread the ball past Pickett, but failed and Pickett, after taking the ball round the keeper, slid it into the empty net.

Unfortunately, the second half degenerated into near farce, as the referee lost the plot. Walton's Michael Murphy wrongly received a second yellow card with 20 minutes to go and then, with two minutes remaining, Hendon's Ryan Wharton harshly suffered the same fate for alleged timewasting.

Hendon again created all the second-half chances. Sub Takumi Ake went close with a couple of efforts and Rakatahr Hudson clipped the top of the bar with a 20-yard shot. Both Pickett and Ake also had efforts cleared off the line.

McCann said: "There is a mixture of joy, elation and relief. I thought we were in complete control for almost all of the game."

HENDON: Wilmot, Wharton, O'Sullivan, Rose, Parker, Rouco (Aki 74), O'Leary, Green (Busby, 88), Pickett, J Burgess. Subs not used: Edwards, Yhdego, Lopes.