Match Report

Hendon
1
Grays Athletic
0
Date:
Saturday 27 November 1999
Competition:
FA Trophy
Attendance:
237
Venue:
TBA

Match Report

Hendon continued their passage through the FA Trophy, despite a poor team performance for the Dons. Grays' fans will probably feel aggrieved that they didn't get a replay, as a draw was probably the fair result.

Both teams started off fairly brightly, with Hendon probably having had the best of the early part, with several half chances, but Towler just failed to get to a free-kick comfortably, and Whitmarsh too was unlucky not to score when set free by Gentle.

Grays themselves also had a few half chances, but most were wasted with McCann having to make only one or two saves of note in the whole match, or they resulted in corners which were easily dealt with by the Dons defence.

Hendon then scored mid way through the first half with Gentle producing a left foot curler that was way above the level of this tie, leaving Ian Brooks with no chance as the ball went into the top left corner.

The game then quickly seemed to go flat, as Hendon failed to pass sufficiently well, and very few attempts at goal ensued for the Dons. Grays however, seemed to get a bit of a kick start from this, and began to improve. Several corners however brought little threat, and Hendon again dealt comfortably with them.

Just before half time, Whitmarsh was set free again, but just having brought the ball under control with only the keeper to beat, the whistle went, and with it Whitmarsh's chances of ending his two and a half month goal drought, with the last goal being against Grays in the FA Cup this season.

The second half was little better for either side, and only a few half chances ensued, all of which were wasted or scuffed, but several corners did cause some mayhem in the areas. Just before his substitution, Dons fans felt that Whitmarsh had been hauled down in the area, but both the referee and his assistant were unsighted, and nothing was given.

Grays certainly had the better of the second half, but couldn't find a way through, much to the disappointment of the small but vocal travelling support, who to their credit wouldn't stop chanting until the very end of the match.

Hendon

1
Gary McCann
2
John-Simon White
3
Simon Clarke
4
Jon Daly
5
Paul Towler
6
Gary Fitzgerald
7
Bontcho Guentchev
8
Freddie Hyatt
9
Paul Whitmarsh
10
Davis Haule
11
Dominic Gentle
12
Matthew Howard
14
Jesse Hall
15
Jason McKoy
16
Marvyn Watson
17
Mavuto Sakala

Match Events

Dominic Gentle

Grays Athletic

Squad unknown