After consolidating their 2 point lead over Wokingham at the top of the Vauxhall League Premier Division with a 3-1 home win over Dulwich Hamlet in midweek, United side recorded their 3rd straight win inside 8 days to reach the 1st Round proper of the FA Cup for the 5th consecutive season.
The gale force winds threatened to ruin the match as a spectacle but credit to both sides who served up some entertaining play considering the importance of the cup tie.
United took the lead in the 18th minute when Simon Mason floated a free kick from wide on the left towards the far post, the wind blew the ball away from the back-pedalling Hendon defence and Cliff Hercules was left with a simple header from 5 yards for his 1st goal of the season.
Just 2 minutes later the wind played a part in Hendon's equaliser when the ball was swung over from the left, Ducks keeper Nick Taylor feebly flapped at it and Colin Tate lashed home from close range.
United went back in front in the 31st minute when a goal kick from Hendon's Dave Root held up in the air and Hercules' header found Steve Cox on the right, who cut inside before unleashing a low shot from 25 yards which, with the gale behind it, whizzed across the turf and buried itself just inside the despairing Root's left hand post.
Then in the 48th minute it was 3-1 when Hercules flicked the ball through to Glenville Donegal who, under pressure from 2 defenders, managed to poke a shot goalwards, Root managed to block the effort but the rebound came out towards the edge of the box where the grounded mark Furneaux inexplicably handled. Basingstoke referee Mr A Murphy immediately said penalty and Cox stepped up to send Root the wrong way from the spot.
It was 4-1 in the 59th minute when the hosts broke quickly from defence, Donegal slipped the ball through to leave Cox with only Root to beat and the Aylesbury man rifled his shot past the keeper to take his season's tally to an amazing 14 goals in 15 appearances and seal The Ducks' place in the 1st Round proper yet again.
