Match Report

Hendon
0
FC Romania
1
Date:
Wednesday 17 July 2019
Competition:
Friendly
Attendance:
86
Venue:
TBA

Match Report

In as much as any friendly defeat is a disappointment to fans, Hendon will nonetheless learn much from their game against FC Romania.

FC Romania, who are about to start their second season in Isthmian League Division One North, have made a dramatic rise through non-league football, having won promotion from the Essex Senior League in 2018.

They still had four players from their days in the step five league as well as a couple of other players who played elsewhere in the same competition.

Both teams had chances to score in an open first half but the accuracy was lacking from the forwards.

There was a lengthy stoppage midway through the period when Maradona Dumitru bear-hugged Howard Hall after the latter won a tussle for possession. Dumitru went down with an obvious head-wound while Hall was nursing a sore wrist, but before anyone should think there was something untoward in the incident, there was nothing as Hall was trying to extricate his pinned arms as he ran.

When play resumed, Dumitru sported a large head bandage and Hall continued to look at his tender forearm.

The only goal of the game came on the stroke of half-time. Roddy Lemba made good ground forward and attracted two defenders towards to him and his pass found George Taban in space.

The midfielder took a touch to set himself up and TABAN then drilled a low shot just inside the bottom corner, beyond the dive of Chris Grace.

Hendon made seven changes at half-time, and for a while they were a little disjointed. Romania made their substitutions during the second half and continued to play with a purpose that unsettled the Greens defence.

Ogo Obi had a great chance to draw level but Adrian Darabant was quickly off his line and forced the striker to shoot wide.

As the half progressed, the game became a little tetchy and a couple of challenges inflamed passions, but there were enough cool heads around to ensure the situations didn’t get out of control.

Report by David Ballheimer

Hendon

1
Chris Grace
2
Howard Hall
3
Charlie Smith
4
Luke Tingey
5
Tom Hamblin
6
Lee Chappell
7
Kameron English
8
Matty Harriott
9
Mike Campbell
10
Connor Calcutt
11
Dan Williams
12
Unknown Trialist
13
Jandir Jose Da Cruz
14
Romario Jonas
15
James Harper
17
Matty Newman
18
Ogo Obi
19
Unknown Trialist
21
Unknown Trialist

Match Events

46''
James Harper replaced Lee Chappell
46''
Ogo Obi replaced Mike Campbell
46''
Unknown Trialist replaced Howard Hall
46''
Jandir Jose Da Cruz replaced Charlie Smith
46''
Matty Newman replaced Dan Williams
46''
Romario Jonas replaced Luke Tingey
46''
Unknown Trialist replaced Connor Calcutt
72''
Unknown Trialist replaced Matty Harriott

FC Romania

Squad unknown