Tons boss bows out after row

CLAPTON'S future was thrown into confusion this week after manager Jim Hendry resigned.

A decision over whether first-team coaches Steve Joseph and Luke Lesporis would stay at the club was due to be made by chief executive Vince Macbean before this weekend.

Hendry (pictured) who announced his decision to players and staff following the disappointing result at Romford on Saturday, said: "I want to make it absolutely clear, I have not left the club because of results, the players, the coaches or anyone at Clapton besides the chief executive.

"Because of recent events I just cannot work with him."

Hendry took over as first-team manager two seasons ago in an attempt to save the club, which was then on the verge of being kicked out of the Ryman League.

He pledged to reveal the full explanation for his resignation on the club's website at the end of the week.

He said: "I am still too annoyed and upset to discuss it now, but the statement will be the full truth."

His decision follows the move of club top-scorer Aaron Gayle to Barking last Thursday.

Hendry said: "Aaron is going to be a very difficult person to replace. When you have got a player as good as him at a small club like Clapton which doesn't pay players the top clubs are always going to come in and take him."

Roy Jones filled Gayle's boots with a goal to put Clapton into the lead against Romford on Saturday, but from the restart the home side won a dubious penalty.

Keeper Matt Dilworth brought down the hosts' player but was adamant that the incident was outside the box.

Des Gallen stepped up to equalise.

The Tons heads went down and by half-time they were 2-1 down after Gallen scored a second goal.

Romford always looked dangerous on the break in the second period and Gallen secured his hat-trick to leave the visitors second from bottom of the league with just two points.

Clapton will be hoping for a new start when they play Romford again in the first leg of the Essex Senior Football League Cup quarter-final on Saturday.