Hendon moved back into the Bostik Premier Division play-off places with a 4-1 battering of Thurrock at Silver Jubilee Park.

Three goals in five first-half minutes put Hendon in the driving seat, and should really have won by more than their already impressive margin.

The league's top scorer was at it again, with Niko Muir bagging a brace, and Casey Maclaren and Dave Diedhiou were also on target.

The result lifts Hendon a point clear of sixth-placed Met Police, and gives them a first win in four games in the league.

They made four changes from the side which had won in Slough during midweek, with Maclaren among those restored to the starting line-up.

Thurrock it was who almost took an early lead though, when a run and cross was begging to be tucked home but despite three blue shirts racing into the penalty area, none could get a touch.

The Hendon response was rapid and Josh Walker struck a post after 10 minutes, before Maclaren saw his effort deflected in not long after for the opener.

Diedhou was next to strike, three minutes later, and again it was via a deflection.

But there was no luck about Hendon's third, with Muir collecting Ashley Nathaniel-George's pass before turning and shooting from a tight angle inside the near post.

More chances came and went before the break, but it was Thurrock who scored next, when Ronnie Winn scored from the spot after an unfortunate but clumsy foul from Channing Campbell-Young.

Muir had his second just after the hour mark when Walker was brought down in the box, and he dispatched the resulting penalty.

In the final half hour Muir should have sealed a hat-trick, but was left to look back on a thoroughly impressive afternoon from the Greens.

Hendon: Lovelock, Campbell-Young, Murphy, Diedhiou, Bray, Lee, Uchechi (Ibe 83), Maclaren (Cole 74), Walker (Ball 74), Muir, Nathaniel-George.

Not used: Joseph, Wise.