Kon does a job on defending champions

Hendon manager David Garbacz told JC Sport: "This was a right old battle against a very strong Faithfold team - they reminded me of old Neasden and Redbridge teams we used to play, with some highly questionable challenges and a lot of backchat, but coupled also with a lot of skill and pace. Yoav Kestenbaum must be battered and bruised this evening, but at times he tore them apart.

"The ref did remarkably well to keep things as under control as he could have done and my players stood up to everything and played like real men today.

"I thought we were definitely the better team in the first half and deservedly went in in front with a typical Ben Kon poacher goal. In the second half they came at us very strongly, but we defended brilliantly and despite some hairy moments, Russell did not have too many saves to make.

"They will point to a couple of penalty appeals which may or May not have been given, but these things even themselves out in the end and two weeks ago ago, Raiders we were denied by the man in the middle.

"Ultimately this was a massive three points and together with the draw in the other big game in the division, it puts us right back in it."

Disappointed Faithfold boss Zuriel Solomon told JC Sport: "We lost a game where I felt we deserved a point. Hendon defended well, but we were our own worst enemy.

"Our discipline was not great - something needs to be rectified - but I thought we were unlucky not to get anything from the game, but that's football. There's still away to go and to get things right."