Croydon 1-3 Hendon

CROYDON  1-3  HENDON
London Senior Cup (Sponsored by Coventry Scaffolding) Fourth Round
Wednesday 30^th January 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Croydon Sports Arena

HENDON sealed their place in to the quarter-finals of the London Senior Cup after their flattering 3-1 win against Croydon.

Croydon went into this Fourth Round tie sitting in tenth-place in the Combined Counties League table with eleven wins and two draws from their 23 league games, were playing their first game since they defeated current leaders Egham Town 4-2 at home back on the 5 January.

Hendon, who play two leagues higher and stand in sixteenth-place in the Ryman Premier League, booked a trip to their league rivals Wingate & Finchley in the quarter-finals following tonight’s win played in windy conditions.

Croydon right-back Jordan Binns made a silly foul on Hendon’s debutant winger Junior Morias in the bottom corner of the penalty area and the seventeen-year-old, who is on loan from Wycombe Wanderers, stepped up to convert the resulting penalty to give Hendon the lead, against the run of play, after 28 minutes.

However, the game appeared destined for a penalty shoot-out when John Fowler’s side equalised three minutes from time when skipper Jensen Grant powered home a header from a corner.

But Hendon had other ideas and substitute Rouchy Efembe and midfielder Lee Angol, an eighteen-year-old also on loan from Wycombe Wanderers, scored late on to give the impression that the game was worthy of four goals.

Croydon created the game’s first chance inside the opening seven minutes when Cavell Poleon released his strike partner Claudio De Almeida down the right and he whipped in a first time cross with his right foot towards the near post where right-winger Josh Cover ghosted in unmarked but planted his bullet header over from six-yards.

Cover then brought a comfortable save from Hendon keeper Sean Thomas after he cut along the edge of the penalty area before stroking a right-footed shot towards goal from eighteen-yards.

A poor back pass by Hendon’s central defender Sam Flegg was intercepted by ten-goal striker De Almeida, but Thomas blocked his left-footed shot and gathered the loose ball.

Hendon’s first chance of the game arrived halfway through the first half.

Striker Sean Sonner used the running track surrounding the pitch to full advantage to hurl a long throw towards the penalty spot where unmarked central defender Elliott Brathwaite planted his bullet header over.

But poor defending from Binns gifted Hendon the lead when he slid in to bring Morias down beside the by-line inches inside the penalty area and referee Mateux Filipiak pointed to the spot.

Morias danced on the penalty spot before sending Croydon keeper John Odlum the wrong way with a right-footed effort, which found the bottom left-hand corner.

Despite their set-back, Croydon rallied and went on to squander numerous chances before the break during their best spell of dominance during the game.

Central defender Jason Thompson clipped the ball up field for De Almeida to bring the ball under control before turning and cracking a right-footed shot over from eighteen-yards.

Busy central midfielder Karl Douglin then sent a right-footed drive straight at Thomas from the edge off the Hendon box.

De Almeida danced his way towards the edge of the Hendon penalty area before sending his right-footed drive sailing over, before Ryan Fowler’s right-footed angled drive bounced into Thomas’ gloves from 25-yards.

But Hendon nearly grabbed a second following their second corner in the 38^th minute.

Kevin MacLaren cut his corner back to Scott Cousins, who had time and space to deliver a precise cross into the box and Brathwaite glanced his header wide.

Hendon came out with much more purpose during the early parts of the second half and Angol cracked a left-footed volley sailing over the bar from 30-yards, Croydon keeper Odlum producing an acrobatic dive to his left.

Sonner then hurled another long throw into the Croydon box but Odlum gathered from Brathwaite’s stabbed shot towards goal.

Hendon then created a couple of decent chances around the hour-mark, before the game died on its feet.

Former Welling United midfielder Dean Cracknell floated in a cross from the right and Odlum opted to stay on his line, which proved to the correct decision as he used his legs to block Sonner’s downward header at his near post in the 62^nd minute.

Kevin MacLaren then floated in a cross from the middle of the pitch for Cracknell to nip in front of his marker to glance his header straight at the grateful Odlum.

The contest then turned into an uninspiring stalemate until Hendon almost doubled their lead in the final nine minutes.

Substitute Jack Connors floated a cross in from the left, which was miss-kicked by Croydon defender Thompson and the ball fell at Efembe’s feet and after taking a touch he sent his right-footed drive sailing just over.

This game proves why you should never leave a football match early.

The Trams levelled with three minutes remaining following their second and last corner of the night.

Fowler whipped in an excellent inswinging corner from the left with his right-foot and Grant rose in a crowded goalmouth to plant his bullet header into the roof of the net from three-yards.

London Senior Cup ties at this stage go straight to penalties if drawn after 90 minutes – but Hendon had other ideas.

Odlum produced a flying save to his right to thwart Angol from scoring with a right-footed drive from 25-yards, but Angol played the ball inside to Efembe to hook his left-footed volley into the net at the near post to grab Hendon the lead just 68 seconds after Croydon’s lifeline.

Croydon keeper Odlum thwarted Sonner after the striker was released through on goal, before Hendon wrapped up the victory inside stoppage time when Cracknell cut the ball back from the by-line and Angol applied the finish from close range.

Croydon: John Odlum, Jordan Binns, Kiemon Robinson, Karl Douglin, Mark Cecil, Jason Thompson, Ryan Fowler, Jensen Grant, Cavell Poleon, Claudio De Almeida (Tom Pratt 55), Josh Cover (Taylor Smith 64).
Subs: Oliver Hunt, Alfred Kelvin, Francis Ameyaw

Goal: Jensen Grant 87

Hendon: Sean Thomas, Howard Hall, Scott Cousins, Sam Flegg (Casey MacLaren 72), Elliott  Brathwaite, Kevin MacLaren, Dean Cracknell, Dave Diedhiou (Rouchy Efembe 69), Sean Sonner, Lee Angol, Junior Morias (Jack Connors 77).
Sub: Junior Lewis

Goals: Junior Morias 28 (pen), Rouchy Efembe 89, Lee Angol 90

Attendance: 73
Referee: Mr Mateux Filipiak (Stratford, London E15)
Assistants: Mr Viden Stoyandy (Tottenham, London N17) & Ms Sarah Hobbs (Kingston, Surrey)