Leatherhead’s recent run of poor performances continued at Fetcham Grove with a comprehensive 5-2 defeat to Hendon.
Tanners lacked co-ordination as they slumped to their heaviest home loss since January 2012, when Bury Town hit five unanswered goals against them.
Following his side’s midweek FA Cup defeat against South Park, Leatherhead manager Richard Brady released club captain Richard Avery and brought in new signings Wes Daly from Merstham and defender Joey Taylor on a month’s loan from Welling United.
Tanners got off to the worst possible start, conceding a goal with just 65 seconds on the clock.
The visitors broke up a promising Leatherhead attack, feeding the ball into the path of Leon Smith.
The powerful Greens striker sprinted clear at half-way and placed his shot beyond the reach of Tanners goalkeeper Louis Wells.
Tanners struck back on 26 minutes with a free-kick awarded after Kiernan Hughes-Mason was fouled on the edge of the visitors’ penalty area.
Vas Karagiannis struck the ball over the defensive wall to beat Hendon keeper Melvin Minter with an inch-perfect delivery to the top left-hand corner.
Released: Richard Avery has left Leatherhead
Hendon restored their advantage five minutes later. Lee O’Leary headed the ball across the Tanners six-yard box for Dave Diedhiou to nod home from close range.
On 39 minutes Tanners won a free-kick in an almost identical position to their first goal after defender Sam Flegg clipped Karagiannis’s ankle.
The Leatherhead talisman deceived Minter again, this time placing a softly struck shot into the top right-hand corner.
If Brady’s half time team talk contained any reference to not conceding an early goal straight from kick-off, then it fell on deaf ears.
Twenty-six seconds into the second half Mahrez Bettache restored Hendon’s lead, catching the Leatherhead defence off guard as he squeezed a shot home through a crowded penalty area.
Tanners almost levelled for a third time on 50 minutes. Hughes-Mason latched onto Karagiannis’s delivery from the right, forcing a fine low save from Minter.
But Hendon grew in confidence in the final half hour as they sensed further chances to build upon their lead.
Wells tipped over a long-range dipping effort from Oliver Sprague before Diedhiou struck the post with another shot on 63 minutes.
Smith produced a spectacular finish on 69 minutes, shaking off the attention of two Leatherhead defenders before firing past Wells for Hendon’s fourth.
And Leatherhead’s miserable afternoon was completed on 82 minutes, when they conceded a free kick on the by-line on the left side their penalty area.
A sharp delivery picked out Diedhiou in the six yard box and he powered it home off the inside of the post for his second and Hendon’s fifth.
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