Hendon held by Wealdstone in derby clash

Monday, February 25, 2013
3:36 PM

Ryman League Premier Division:

Hendon 0 Wealdstone 0

Stones goalkeeper Rikki Banks foiled his former club with several fine saves as Hendon made their promotion-chasing visitors work hard for a point.

Banks denied both Junior Morias and Dean Cracknell twice at Vale Farm, while Esmond James and Alex Dyer had Wealdstone’s best chances in a scrappy and sometimes bad-tempered encounter.

The visitors began positively and Tom Pett dispossessed Dave Diedhiou, only to be denied a shot at goal by Casey Maclaren’s challenge, but generally Greens centre-backs Elliott Brathwaite and Sam Flegg held firm.

Hendon’s first real opportunity came just before the half-hour mark when Scott Cousins swung in a corner that beat everyone and struck the far post, but Banks was able to scoop the rebound away before it could cross the line.

Four minutes later, a flowing move involving Diedhiou, Cracknell and Lee Angol set up Morias, but Banks denied him – and then got down to turn a low drive from Cracknell around the post soon afterwards.

Hendon keeper Sean Thomas – who was also playing against his former club – made a comfortable save from a long-range effort by James, while Dyer’s low cross narrowly evaded Pett as the first half drew to a close.

Both sides had opportunities at the start of the second period, with Dyer turning to fire his shot straight at Thomas and, at the other end, Flegg headed over the crossbar from a corner.

Hendon should have scored after producing the best move of the match on 64 minutes, with Cousins, Cracknell and Belal Aite-Ouakrim combining to find Morias, but Banks produced an acrobatic reflex save to keep the sides level.

Although the Stones exerted plenty of pressure in the remainder of the game, they never looked like breaking the deadlock as Pett fired tamely at Thomas and Kurtney Brooks rifled a long-range attempt over the bar.

It was the home side who went closest to finding a winner as a loose ball fell to Cracknell two minutes from time, but the height was awkward and he could only lob it towards the top corner, where Banks made the save.

Wealdstone: Banks, McCubbin, Chappell, Parker (c), Cronin, Dyer, James (O’Leary 65), Brooks, Dean, Jolly (Smith 78), Pett. Subs not used: Webb, Moore, Alaile.

Hendon: Thomas, Diedhiou, Cousins, Flegg, Brathwaite, K Maclaren, Cracknell, C Maclaren (Rankin 88), Morias, Aite-Ouakrim (Connors 76), Angol.