Hendon opened the new Ryman League Premier Division season with a disappointing goalless draw against Enfield at Boreham Wood on Saturday afternoon. With no game scheduled for midweek because of Kingstonian's suspenstion by the Ryman League, it was vital that the Greens avoided defeat in their opening fixture.

It has to be said the match was far from a classic. There were a number of compelling reasons for this: the weather was exceptionally hot, abetted by a gusting wind blowing straight down the field, the pitch was very firm and the new balls in use this season seemed to have been pumped up with helium so long did they spend floating through the air.

Hendon's starting line-up was exactly that which was first choice through the latter games in preseason friendlies with the only surprise being that Jon-Barrie Bates, the club captain, being left to play with the reserves, after seeing only 20 minutes of action in the last 4 games.

Enfield started very brightly and in the opening 10 minutes, Hendon were penned deep in their own half almost without relief. A free-kick by Paul Armstrong was blocked by the Hendon wall and David Hook had to plunge down by his left upright to keep out a shot from Warren Waugh.

Eugene Ofori had an almost lone striker's role as captain Martin Randall was forced into a playing deeper than he wanted to, trying to join Steve Forbes and Paul Yates in wresting control of the midfield.

Gradually, Hendon began to get into the game and a couple of runs from Dale Binns had Enfield on the back foot. He drilled one shot inches over Michael Kalli and had another one deflected away for a corner.

Binns delivery of the corner was inch-perfect, but Forbes headed wastefully wide from a great position. In his defence, Forbes opposite number, Fritz Breitenfelder did his best to put him off by jumping for the ball, but the Austrian midfielder missed it.

Having dominated the latter stages of the first half, Hendon continued to exert control after the break. In the 54th minute, Kieran Gallagher had a great chance to open the scoring.

A long daigonal ball eluded the Enfield defence and fell to Gallagher, who brought the ball down, dragged it past the flailing challenge of Adam Turner and ran in to face Kalli. The former Princes Park and Wingate & Finchley goalkeeper was equal to the shot, parrying the ball away. He deserved his luck as the ball bounced to the edge of the penalty area just beyond a couple of Hendon players looking for the rebound.

Kalli again came to Enfield's rescue again in the 64th minute, this time denying Binns with his legs.The introduction of Ricci Crace, for Ofori, and Byron Bubb, for Gallagher, did not have the desired effect and Enfield began to get another toe-hold in the game.

In the 82nd minute, a wasted crossing opportunity for Hendon was turned into a rapid Enfield attack and a shot from Armstrong went a matter of inches wide of Hook's post.

As the game went into stoppage time, Hendon were denied a penalty as a corner from Bubb caused chaos in the Enfield defence. Mark Cooper won the ball at the far post, Kalli palmed it to the edge of the 6-yard box, Steve Cooper knocked the ball back towards the far post, where Forbes was clear favourite to get a header in.

Before he could do so, Dave Reddington barged him to the ground and Enfield cleared the ball. Referee Mr A Parker, however, was clearly unsighted with a number of bodies between himself and the action.

After 5 minutes of stoppage time, he finally brought an end to the game. If he had played another couple of hours, it is quite possible there would still have been no goals.

"I am a bit frustrated," admitted manager Dave Anderson. "We didn't play very well, but I suppose if you don't concede a goal away from home, it's not too bad. I'll take a point away when we don't play well."