Heybridge Swifts 1

Hendon 1

Hendon were grateful to substitute Tony Lynch for the 80th minute equaliser which gave the Dons a thoroughly deserved point at Scraley Road on Saturday afternoon.

Lynch's first Ryman League goal came after Hendon, a goal down, had seen Curtis Warmington sent off for a second-half foul.

In the 5th minute, Warren Ryan delivered a fine low cross which Paul

Whitmarsh blasted over the crossbar from close range when he might have done better.

Six minutes later, keeper Kingsley Banks was brought to his knees by a fine shot from Freddie Hyatt after he made space with some nice footwork.

Banks produced his second good stop of the half to deny Hakan Altinok in the 33rd minute, but he saved his best for injury time, turning aside Ryan's flick after Altinok had almost turned Scott Darton inside out.

Hendon keeper Gary McCann was only extended by a looping header from the giant Mark Keen and a couple of crosses from the dangerous Wayne Adcock.

The first half was almost without foul play - there were at most half a dozen - but there was a different attitude after the break.

In the 55th minute, Simon Clarke reached an aimless crossfield ball just inside the centre circle, but he was planted on his back by a shoulder charge from Gary Caldon, who took over possession and passed to Adcock.

Adcock had a completely free run into the area which Clarke would have occupied and, after drawing McCann, he slotted the ball into the empty net.

Ten minutes later, a midfield collision ended up with the referee, showing Warmington the red card for a foul on Matt Jones, although the first contact was a kick by the Heybridge man on Warmington.

Things continued to be heated and, after 76 minutes, Clarke was cautioned for a heavy challenge on Terry Rayner, which saw the midfielder taken to hospital with a suspected broken elbow.

Lynch replaced the tiring Altinok with just over 20 minutes remaining and he was soon making a big difference. Heybridge had been in trouble with Hyatt's long throws and, in the 80th minute, another of these drew Banks from his line, but he could not get to the ball ahead of Tony Kelly and Lynch pounced on the loose ball to net from five yards.

Almost straight from the restart, Matt Howard and Steve Bateman combined to deny top-scorer Gary Caldon from netting a second Heybridge goal, but Caldon really should have sealed the points in injury time when he shot over from five yards.

At the other end, Whitmarsh shot over the bar, when a short ball would have set up Hyatt in acres of space.

Manager Frank Murphy said after the match: "We came back well after

Curtis was sent off. I don't know how the referee missed the foul on Clarke in the lead-up to their goal."

HENDON: McCann, A. Kelly, Clarke, P. Kelly Warmington, Bateman, Altinok(Lynch, 69), Hyatt, Whitmarsh, Howard, Ryan. Subs: Banton, Bashir.

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