Hendon are still looking for their first point of the season, but they came mighty close to achieving that breakthrough on Monday afternoon at Claremont Road. Unfortunately, yet more defensive lapses resulted in a 2-1 defeat, but this time, at least, the Greens were in the game for almost all of the 90 minutes and looked like getting something out of it on occasions.

Full-back Oliver Stroud, a loan signing from Braintree Town and centre-half Ryan Wharton, an offseason capture who started the season nursing a slight injury, both came in for their Hendon debuts at the expense of Rakatahr Hudson and Takumi Ake, who dropped to the bench. Also in the reshuffle, Ross Pickett moved up front, partnering Dean Thomas.

The early minutes were even, with little to show from either side. Then, in the 14th minute, and out of practically nothing, a ball was swung in from the Leyton right wing. Leli Bajada and Steve West found themselves being marked by only one defender. When the ball fell to Bajada, he wasted no time in turning it past the exposed Richard Wilmot.

Hendon had the wind in the first half, but struggled to do much with it. Leyton played a solid defensive line and were quick to move up, catching the Hendon attack offside on a number of occasions. Unfortunately, the Greens wide players, Nas Richardson and Wayne O'Sullivan had halves to forget, the former picking up a caution for a clumsy foul after he lost possession.

The half-time team-talk from the Hendon management team will have contained a number of home truths, many of which appeared to strike home, judging by the brighter opening spell of the second period. A 54th-minute cross from O'Sullivan was glanced goalwards by Pickett, but James Hasell made a fine save.

Two minutes later a long ball from James Burgess hung up on the breeze and was dipping just under the crossbar. Hasell could not come out to meet the ball as it was dropping so sharply. In addition both Pickett and Thomas were running in, like the goalkeeper, with eyes only on the ball. The keeper did well to tip the ball over the crossbar just before the trio collided, with Hasell picking up what looked like a dead-leg.

Visiting defenders were incensed that their goalkeeper had been injured, but the excellent referee, Paul Toyer, made it very clear that any contact was accidental and all three players had been looking only at the ball. The corner deflected off a defender's head and just cleared the crossbar for another corner, but this one was wasted.

Leyton, who had lost playmaker Mark Sophocleous to an injury at half-time, made their second change - Daniel Tenkorang replacing Louis Fazackerley - at the same time as Hendon made their first, Ake replacing the disappointing Richardson. The diminutive Japanese livewire took a while to get into the game in the unusual position of being taller than his marker, the reliable and unflappable Vas Soteriou.

The game rather died for the next 20 minutes, although Leyton did have more possession. However, they looked as likely to score as punchless Hendon did. Lee O'Leary came on for Dwane Williams and this livened Hendon up, while prolific Manny Williams was the last of Leyton's subs.

With five minutes to go, the match suddenly perked up. Hendon wasted two free-kicks in promising positions, both just about within shooting range, but the tall Leyton defence were never going to be unduly frightened of the rather aimless crosses that were delivered.

Suddenly, in the 89th minute, things opened up for Hendon. Thomas found himself in space. He had Ake to his right, Pickett to his left and only one defender in front - and he was in full retreat. Either a continued run and one-on-one shot or an accurate pass may well have brought the equaliser.

Instead, a looping ball that Pickett would never have reached in his prime bounced easily into the arms of Hasell. He threw the ball downfield and a flick from West bounced into the path of Emond Protain. Just as at the other end seconds earlier, everything opened up for the striker, and Protain showed Thomas exactly how to finish, making it 2-0. The Hendon striker was clearly distraught as Leyton celebrated.

Amazingly, Hendon's reaction was to immediately pull a goal back. A ball from O'Sullivan into the penalty area was not cleared and Craig Vargas lashed it into the net from six yards.

It set up an exciting four minutes of stoppage time, but Hendon couldn't fashion a clear opening. The final whistle was greeted by Leyton players more with relief than satisfaction at having collected maximum points.

"We're being punished for every error we make, but we will keep plugging away," said manager Gary McCann. "We have got to stick together, we have got to stay as one and we have to get some points on the board the sooner the better."