Hendon still need one point to be certain of Ryman League Premier Division football next season after they went down by the odd goal in three against Hastings United, a result that almost guarantees the safety for the Sussex club.

The exhausted Dons saw two of changes from the team which beat Boreham Wood so dramatically on Wednesday night. Both full-backs - James Burgess and Craig Vargas - were rested, and Marc Leach and Harry Hunt were given starts, though neither was at full-back.

In the tenth minute, a powerful free-kick from Jamie Busby was athletically pushed aside by Greg Nessling, but the corner came to nothing. it did not take long, however, for Hendon to take the lead.

It was a goal of the utmost simplicity. A long ball out of defence found Glenn Garner, who was too strong for Rhys Whyborne and he struck a powerful shot to which Nessling got the faintest of touches, but it was not enough to keep the ball out of the net.

Hendon's lead lasted barely four minutes. A free-kick conceded on the Hastings right was superbly curled in by Michael Phillips. Garner, who had beaten Whyborne for the goal, was caught napping by the centre-half's run and Whyborne was unmarked as he smashed a header past William Viner.

With a strong breeze at their backs, Hendon were able to force Hastings back, but they had to be careful against the speedy Sam Adams, Frankie Sawyer and Charlie Side, especially as the Us were more than happy to launch raids on the counter-attack. From one of these, after 21 minutes, Viner made an excellent save to keep out a drive from Lee Carey.

The Greens suffered a big blow ten or so minutes before and after half-time as first Peter Dean, then Garner, went off with injuries. They were replaced by Lubomir Guentchev and Danny Dyer respectively. The changes forced Hendon to change their pattern of play and, more importantly, their shape.

Although the wind dropped as the afternoon progressed, Hastings still had more of the ball in the second half. However, even the revamped Hendon defence was not under too much pressure.

Hastings then made two changes and their two substitutes, striker Matt Maclean - who replaced full-back Luke Newman - and midfielder Antonio Gonnella - who took over from Side - made massive contributions to their team's cause.

It should be said that the contest between Hunt and diminutive Newman had been a feature of the match. Although Hunt failed to score, he probably just about won the battle even though he was playing in a somewhat unfamiliar role of old-fashioned right-winger.

Gonnella had been on the pitch for barely three minutes when he rose well and headed a goalbound effort from Mark Kirby off his own line. Nessling had been well beaten by Sam Collins excellent corner and if Kirby had scored, the general consensus from home officials is that they would not have come back.

Instead, five minutes later, in the 78th minute, they were celebrating what turned out to be the winner. An attack came down the left flank, led by Adams. He delivered a teasing low cross which eluded everyone except Maclean, who slid the ball into the net to set off wild celebrations among the home fans.

The lead very nearly lasted only two minutes, this time with Hendon's two substitutes almost combining for an equaliser. Guentchev did very well down the right flank and he delivered a teasing cross to beyond the far post. With no orthodox left-back to mark him, Dyer was able rise and head the ball goalwards.

Nessling just about got to the ball as it was crossing the line and managed to push it against the near post. Both the ball and the goalkeeper went to ground and Nessling somehow made sure the ball didn't cross the line. Some Hendon fans thought the ball had crossed the line, but the assistant referee was perfectly placed and his opinion - probably correctly - was that the whole of the ball had not crossed the whole of the goalline.

With five minutes or normal time remaining, Hendon made their last change, sending on Casey Maclaren for Kirby. It was the elder Maclaren's first game in four months, as he battles a long-term back problem. Without any match practice he wasn't able to turn the game back in Hendon's favour, though he almost got on the end of the ball in a goalmouth scramble.

There were more than five minutes of stoppage time, but the home defence, often with a great deal more luck than judgement held on.

Manager Gary McCann said, "I think we more than deserved at least a point from the game. But we were a bit too relaxed and a few players seemed tired and leggy.

"For some it was their sixth match in 14 days. That was why I rested both full-backs. But the two injuries also made things much harder because we had to reorganise.

"I did not have a good view of Danny Dyer's effort, but the reaction of the supporters behind the goal suggested that most of them didn’t think the ball had crossed the line."

(Report By David Ballheimer - not to be reproduced without permission from the author)