Hendon 3

Aylesbury United 0

Hendon climbed to fifth place in the Ryman League Premier Division with a superb rout of a robust Aylesbury outfit on Saturday.

It was the Dons' seventh straight win, including six in the league, and the last five have been without conceding a goal.

Delighted Hendon manager Frank Murphy said: "We are keeping our good run going, but it was a real battle against a very big, physical side. Our midfield bossed the game after half-time, and Paul Whitmarsh is flying at the moment -- he's scored 10 goals in his last nine games."

The heavy rain during the week left the pitch very soft, but although it cut up significantly in the first half, it played well.

Hendon had the advantage of a strong wind in the first period, but, in their current form, the conditions have not been a factor.

Clearly, the taking of prisoners was not on the Ducks' agenda, because after only seven mintues, Danny O'Shea committed a grotesque foul on Naseem Bashir, for which he was cautioned, and three minutes later, Bashir was fouled by Steve Butler. Bashir needed treatment both times, but after 14 minutes he limped off, replaced by ex-Aylesbury man Steve Heard.

Four mintues later, Simon Clarke needed treatment following a late challenge by Mick Swaysland.

Whitmarsh almost opened the scoring for Hendon after 21 minutes when he was put through by Freddie Hyatt, but his instant shot flashed over the bar.

Curtis Warmington then had a shot blocked, and another melee saw a couple of efforts blocked, with ex-Hendon goalkeeper Andy Lomas scrambling across his goal to cover the danger.

Lomas was called into action twice in the 30th minute, keeping out efforts from Junior Lewis and Clarke, but he was left helpless when Hendon took the lead after 40 minutes.

A ball over the top of the defence allowed Whitmarsh the chance to run in on goal and just before he reached the penalty area, he let fly with a piledriver which flew into the net with Lomas little more than a bemused spectator.

Aylesbury almost equalised five minutes into the second half when Keith Davies drove back a wind-hampered goalkick from Gary McCann which went a yard past the far post with the keeper struggling to get across his goal.

Hendon extended their lead after an hour when Aylesbury failed to clear a throw-in from Hyatt, the ball came out to Paul Kelly who struck a powerful shot that Lomas misjudged badly, and the ball dipped under the bar on its way into the net.

Lewis then forced Lomas into a couple of saves as Aylesbury struggled to keep rampant Hendon at bay

With six minutes left, Whitmarsh made sure of victory for Hendon with his second goal. Breaking down the middle again, he took the ball on and slipped it neatly past Lomas just inside the post.

HENDON: McCann, A Kelly, Clarke, P Kelly, Warmington, Bateman, Bashir (Heard 14, Ryan 79), Hyatt, Whitmarsh, Howard, Lewis. Sub: Banton.

Hendon meet Basingstoke in the Full Members' Cup final at Chesham United FC on Wednesday, April 29.

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