Hendon's six week reign at the top of the table came to an end on Monday night as they were soundly beaten 5-1 by a superb Chelmsford City performance. The Essex side game the Greens a footballing lesson and scored some excellent goals along the way.

Chelmsford had the first shot of the game in the fifth minute when a shot from Bertie Brayley bobbled awkwardly but Luke Blackmore, again playing instead of the injured Richard Wilmot, was able to hold onto the ball comfortably.

Five minutes later Wayne O'Sullivan curled in a free-kick from the right wing. The Chelmsford defence could only half clear the ball, but Marc Leach's short flew well over the bar. James Parker was then dispossessed by two men in the 19th minute but Sam Page, who is on loan from MK Dons for a month having had a similar spell with the Greens last season, made an outstanding interception to see the ball out for a corner.

The corner was cleared and Hendon broke away with Belal Aiteouakrim in possession but his shot was deflected wide for a corner. However, in the 22nd minute the Greens fell behind. Brayley was sent clear and having spotted Blackmore coming off his line, sent a lovely shot over the keeper and into the net. Four minutes later Aidan Collins missed a chance when he fired wide, whilst at the other end an O'Sullivan free-kick from 20 yards flew narrowly wide.

Hendon continued to put pressure on the Chelmsford defence but couldn't create any clear cut chances and in the 38th minute were two goals behind. It was a superb goal as Ricky Holmes found space on the left wing, and fired a delicious shot into the far corner of the goal with Blackmore well out of his goal.

A minute later Hendon were back in the game when O'Sullivan floated a corner into the six-yard box and Brian Haule headed home from close range much to the delight of the small band of Hendon supporters behind the goal. Aiteouakrim had a chance to equalise shortly before the break but mishit his shot and the ball went wide of the goal.

Any hopes the Greens had of getting something from the game disappeared in the opening ten minutes of the second half as Chelmsford took the game by the scruff of the neck with some sublime football. Two minutes after the break Chelmsford won a free kick about 25 yards from goal. Lee Protheroe, who has a nasty habit of scoring against Hendon, stepped up and fired the ball over the wall and into the net with Blackmore stranded at the far post.

Eight minutes later Brayley was allowed to run unchallenged towards goal and he gave Blackmore no chance with a fine finish and it became a case of damage limitation for Hendon. Two minutes after the fourth goal, Brayley had another chance but shot wide, and on the hour mark, he had another chance to complete his hat-trick but couldn't quite get his head onto a Protheroe cross.

After that the game quietened down with Chelmsford content to pass the ball around and keep Hendon away from their goal. In the 78th minute Jamie Busby fired in a free-kick which Chelmsford keeper Danny Gay was just able to punch away before Davis Haule could head it into the goal. A minute later, Chelmsford scored their fifth goal.

It was a freak goal. With the ball bouncing around in the Hendon penalty area, a defender attempted a clearance and watched in horror as the ball rebounded off Page into the net for an own goal. The goal was the final nail in the coffin for the Greens.

The last chance of the game fell to Brayley who fired a fine shot at goal from 25 yards, but Blackmore pulled off a superb save to deny the hitman his hat-trick.

(Report By Steve Rogers - not to be reproduced without prior permission from the author)