Hendon win basement battle

In a drab game of few chances, Hendon took control with goals in the last seven minutes of the first half from Julian Owusu and Belal Aite-Ouakrim.

Josh Clarke pulled one back 11 minutes into the second half but Hendon made sure of three precious points when Dave Diedhiou netted six minutes from time.

Hendon remain in the relegation places but now trail Thurrock only on goal difference after the Essex club were held to a 1-1 draw at Enfield Town. Harry Honesty put Mark Stimson’s men ahead on nine minutes and Adam Wallace equalised for Town ten minutes later.

Wingate, two points ahead of Thurrock, held out for an hour at table-topping Margate. Then John Beales dived to head home a cross from Alex Rhodes, who added a late goal himself to complete a 2-0 victory and maintain Margate’s one-point lead.

Hot on their heels, with a game in hand, are Whitehawk, who came from 2-0 down in their derby at Lewes to win 3-2 despite being reduced to ten men.

Headers either side of half-time from Danny Walder and Ben Godfrey put Lewes in charge but Hawks then introduced substitute Jefferson Louis, on loan from Newport to the 27th club of his career, and immediately looked more dangerous.
Danny Mills pulled one back on 55 minutes, Louis headed the equaliser in the 72nd minute and, although Sami El-Abd was sent off shortly afterwards, Hawks won it through Josh Jones with eight minutes left.

Third-placed Wealdstone are four points behind Whitehawk after a Jack Defty hat-trick sent them crashing to a 3-0 defeat at Lowestoft, who moved up to fifth. Defty headed a 21st-minute opener, scored again in the 49th minute and completed his treble with another header four minutes from time.

Bury also climbed into the play-off spots, taking over fourth place with a 3-2 victory at Hampton. The hosts paid the price for their wasteful finishing in the first half, when they should have added to a lone goal by Neil Jenkins after 28 minutes.

John Sands and Craig Parker scored in the first 12 minutes after the interval to put Bury in front and, although Charlie Moone headed Hampton back on to level terms in the 72nd minute, the visitors quickly regained the lead when Parker was fouled in the box and converted the penalty himself.

To complete a good day for the Suffolk trio in the division, Leiston chalked up their first away win and ended Met Police’s unbeaten home record. A single goal by Emmanuel Osei in the 71st minute decided it, and it could have been more as the visitors dictated the game.

It was a tale of two penalties at Kingstonian. Andre McCollin, who had earlier hit a post, converted a 43rd-minute kick for the home side after an offence for which Bognor keeper Craig Stoner was sent off. A foul on Harvey Whyte gave Bognor the chance to level it in the 71st minute but James Crane’s kick was saved by Rob Tolfrey and Bognor’s unbeaten away record ended.

Dean Lodge was presented with an award before the game to mark his 200th appearance for Kingstonian (pictured by Tommy McMillan).

Cray were the only other side in the division who were undefeated on their travels and they, too, lost their record to a single goal. That was at Canvey, where a lively game was not settled until Bradley Woods-Garness polished off a Louis Dennis pass with six minutes left.

Hastings, five days away from their FA Cup replay against Harrogate, drew 2-2 with Concord at the Pilot Field. Steve King’s foul on Zac Attwood allowed Lee Carey to put the hosts ahead with a 35th-minute penalty but Tony Stokes replied just on half-time and then put Concord ahead in the 70th minute, becoming the division’s top scorer with his 12th league goal. Jono Richardson quickly squared it again and Hastings had chances to win it.

East Thurrock came out on top by the odd goal in five at Harrow. They took a fifth-minute lead through Sam Collins and, after Frankie Merrifield made it 1-1 in the 32nd minute, Kris Newby restored the advantage before half-time.

Hakeem Araba added the third just after the hour when James Lawson’s header came back off the bar and Simeon Akinola’s 77th-minute free-kick was not enough to save the hosts.