Hendon manager Lee Allinson is eager for his side to test themselves against the side he believes should have been awarded promotion into the National League South last season.

%image(15175698, type="article-full", alt="Sam Corcoran is congratulated by his colleagues after scoring for Hendon (Pic: DBeech Photography)")

The Greens welcome Truro City, who were sat top of the Southern League Premier South table in March, to the Silver Jubilee Stadium on Saturday for their second league fixture of the 2020-21 campaign.

“We’ve got the league champions, they should’ve gone up to be fair. Let’s have it right you can’t have one rule for one and not the other. They should be in the National League South,” Allinson said.

“They’re a top side, so it’s good to test ourselves and see where we are, but it’s pleasing to see how good our fitness levels are right now.”

Hendon picked up a deserved point from their Southern League opener on Saturday at Salisbury, with substitute Liam Brooks clinching the point with a second-half equaliser.

%image(15175700, type="article-full", alt="For long stretches in the 2nd half today, there was only a single voice that could be heard in the ground.. a young England lioness shouting "Come on Hendon" (Pic: DBeech Photography)")

The hosts took just 45 seconds to open the scoring as Marvin Brooks finished superbly into the top corner after a loose Hendon pass in midfield.

But midway through the first half the Greens fought back and levelled thanks to Sam Corcoran.

Salisbury then had the better of the opening quarter of an hour of the second period and went ahead again when a corner went in off Lucas Perry into his own net.

The addition of substitutes Joe White and Brooks paid dividends, though, as White forced a mistake from the home defence and he laid the ball in for Brooks to finish and seal a well-earned point.

%image(15175702, type="article-full", alt="Lee Allinson looks on as Simeon Olarerin beats a Salisbury defender (Pic: DBeech Photography)")

“Fantastic character, I thought we started the game very poorly, not our usual selves and I felt we were not quite right even in the warm-up,” added Allinson.

“I felt we grew into the game, ‘Corcy’ pulled one out of the bag as we were getting battered at that point, they were always going to have a good spell as they’re at home and a very good side.

“They’ll be in the top four or five this year, no doubt. I thought we ground it out and in the second half we were the better side.

“A draw was probably a fair result in the end, so I’m very pleased.”