Hendon bowed out of the Middlesex Senior Cup against Hayes last Wednesday, thus ending their interest in knock-out competitions for the season. But there was not only no disgrace in the defeat against opposition from the Conference South - a division above the Greens - but the exhausted Greens came close to forcing extra time.

With Brian and Davis Haule both unavailable - injured and ineligible, respectively - and other players desperately needing a rest, there were a few changes to the team that had beaten Wimbledon and Folkestone in three days.

Hayes have been struggling in recent weeks, but they still have a number of players of high class and they kept Hendon on the back foot for large parts of the first half. And things were helped when the Greens had to replace the limping Craig Vargas after barely half an hour's action.

By this time, Hendon should have been a goal down if the header from Michael Bartley really had been saved by Jamie Busby behind the goalline. Certainly the Hayes fans could not understand how a penalty for handball was not given, even if the goal wasn't, but the referee allowed play to continue.

Busby, reprieved at one end, then warmed the hands of Adam Thompson with a powerful shot. Starring at the back for Hayes was former Hendon triallist and reserve, Gilbert Nuako, who was comfortably the best player in the Missioners defence.

After 24 minutes, Hendon had loud penalty appeals turned down. Ross Pickett, back after missing a month with a viral infection, got in front of Adam Logie to meet a Wayne O'Sullivan corner. But, before he could make contact with the ball, the Hayes skipper had charged into his back, flattening him. The referee either failed to see the incident clearly or felt there was nothing in it, because he waved play on.

Hayes took the lead after 38 minutes. The chance came out of very little, but when the ball landed at Josh Scott's feet, he needed no second bidding to fire a 25-yard strike the went like a tracer shell into the Hendon net.

Hendon's tired players came out for the second half, looking to get back into the game, but rather lacking the guile to do so. With Belal Aiteouakrim only on the bench and the Haule brothers absent altogether it was hardly a surprise, though Ross Pickett, back after a month out with a virus infection, and Dean Green tried manfully to break down the Hayes defence.

Instead it was Hayes, who had two more very loud and convincing penalty appeals turned down, who extended their lead on the hour mark. James Parker's desperate attempt to clear the ball after Scott had failed to control it, was beautifully struck, but unfortunately it flew off a surprised Richard Wilmot and bounced into the net.

Hendon sent on Bontcho Guentchev and Aiteouakrim for the final quarter of a hour and the changes did bring some reward. In the 80th minute, a free-kick curled in by Lee O'Leary eluded everyone, except for the late-arriving Guentchev, and the former Bulgarian World Cup semi-finalist's delicate touch diverted the ball just inside the far post.

Extra time was probably the last thing that Hendon wanted, but players don't necessary feel tired during a game and James Burgess shot just wide with one chance, Rakki Hudson was eased out of the way before another cross arrived and then, the last clear opening came.

A through ball didn't quite go far enough towards Thompson, who had to hurry to the edge of his box. A team-mate got in his way, causing the clearing kick to go only 15 metres downfield. The ball was immediately shot back towards goal, but the goalkeeper, with defender Will Hendry desperately trying cover, were grateful to see the effort bounce wide of the goal.

"In the end it was just a game too far for us," admitted manager Gary McCann. "This was our fifth game in ten days and we are exhausted. We had to rest some players, others are carrying knocks and we were in a position of playing some men who were exhausted and others who were rusty not having played for a few weeks. That is a recipe for disaster."