HENDON 1

Adenola 90

DORCHESTER TOWN 0

HENDON right-back Samuel Adenola’s 90th-minute winner consigned Dorchester to an agonisingly late 1-0 defeat at Silver Jubilee Park.

The two teams looked set to play out a repeat of their goalless draw at this ground last season, despite Hendon twice hitting the post.

But up popped Adenola at a last-ditch set-piece to cruelly deprive Dorchester of a point the Magpies feel they warranted after a battling display.

With new boss Tom Killick unavailable after deciding to honour time booked off following his exit from Poole, current assistant and former manager Glenn Howes stepped up to lead the Magpies on the touchline.

READ MORE: Hendon 1-0 Dorchester Town - how it happened

Howes opted for four changes from the 2-2 draw at Gosport two Wednesdays ago, Dorchester for the third time having to sit out a ten-break this season.

Drew Eccott-Young, Jordi Foot and Alex Moyse dropped to the bench, while Will Spetch was suspended due to his red card at Merthyr.

It meant Exeter loanee Ed James came in for his debut, while Jack Dickson returned from illness. James’ fellow Exeter loanee Pedro Borges (ankle) missed out.

Olaf Koszela made a long-awaited comeback from concussion, while Louie Slough also earned a start having begun on the bench at Boro.

Lewis Waterfield and Benjani Jr were the only players to retain their places on the bench, with Lewis Toms and Jake Graziano omitted from the squad.

Dorchester were aiming for a fifth victory from their last seven games against Hendon but the hosts, unbeaten at home in the league this season, nearly took an early lead.

Only the post separated the Greens from a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute as Adam Laaref beat Adam Forster in the Magpies’ goal only to see his effort cannon away off the woodwork.

Dorchester responded when Koszela blasted wide of Hendon keeper Matt Kerbey’s goal and the signs for the Magpies were promising with plenty of possession in the first half.

They were met with solid Hendon resistance but the remainder of the period became scrappy and neither side could make a breakthrough before half-time.

Dorchester began the second half with more purpose and nearly punished Hendon for giving the ball away, only for Corby Moore to fire wide.

Jordi Barnett was subbed off for Waterfield on 54 minutes and the Magpies again went close to profiting from a turnover.

The industrious Koszela was responsible as he hounded the Hendon defence into giving up possession, before finding Shaq Gwengwe who blazed over Kerbey’s bar.

Hendon hit back by striking the post for a second time in a goalmouth melee, before Dorchester opted to preserve Koszela after his long lay-off, introducing Foot.

Adenola headed over for Hendon and the hosts also had loud penalty appeals turned down for handball when Billy Leonard’s strike was charged down.

As Hendon pressure grew late on, Joe White drilled wide and the game looked to be up until Dorchester conceded a set-piece.

Adenola got on the end of it to spark jubilation among the majority home 277-strong crowd, sending Dorchester back to Dorset empty-handed.

The Magpies will have Killick back on Tuesday in the hot seat for his first home game since joining the club, Sholing the visitors (7.45pm).

Hendon: Kerbey, Adenola, Perry (Olarerin 68), Riley-Snow, Matsuzaka, Light, Laaref (Allinson 63), Leonard, White, Muir, Brosnan (Semakula 63). Subs not used: Ada, Diedhiou.

Magpies: Forster, Dickson, Haste, Slough, Ngalo, James, Barnett (Waterfield 54), Moore, Thomas, Gwengwe, Koszela (Foot 73). Subs not used: Moyse, Eccott-Young, Benjani Jr.

Referee: Tommy Breen.

Attendance: 277.