Hendon's second preseason friendly was a very useful exercise, even if Wembley were unable to cause the Greens too many problems in an 8-2 result at Vale Farm.

The Lions, now in the Combined Counties League following the dissolution of the Ryman League Second Division, were gracious hosts, but they did give Hendon an early scare by scoring after just three minutes, Steve Augustine the man on target.

It did not take long for Hendon to fight back and Ross Pickett netted the equaliser from close range three minutes later and then a rare goal from James Burgess put Hendon in front after 14 minutes. Admittedly the ball was fumbled into the net by the Wembley stopper.

Although the Greens were on top, they took almost 25 minutes to add to their lead but, on getting one, they added another barely 60 seconds later. In the 38th minute, a superb passing move ended with Jamie Busby being tripped in the penalty area. He stepped up and lashed home the spot-kick.

A minute later, Lee O'Leary scored his first goal for the club with a shot that decieved the goalkeeper and left him floundering at the ball. It gave Hendon a 4-1 lead at the interval.

As is often the case in early preseason friendlies, the team that started the second period was much changed from the first-half line-up. But the Greens were not too inconvenienced as substitute Dean Thomas stretched the advantage less than ten minutes after the restart.

After 58 minutes, Hendon were awarded a free-kick and the Wayne O'Sullivan, a defender or midfielder who spent seven years at Arsenal as a youngster before moving on to Exeter City and Newport County, scored with a beautifully struck and placed strike.

Wembley - with an equally altered team, continued to work hard and they got due reward just past the hour mark. Mark Talbot scored the Lions' second goal after 65 minutes.

Hendon's response was even quicker. Former Brook House striker Dean Papali was in place to ensure that a shot from Dean Thomas crossed the line to makeit 7-2.

The last Hendon goal was another cracker. It came after 71 minutes, again from the book of O'SULLIVAN, but this time from open play as he drilled a shot into the net.

Manager Gary McCann said, "I read as much into a friendly victory as I do a defeat. It is not the results that matter in these games, but the performances."

"I must say, I think I am happier with the players I've got this preseason than I am with the ones I had 12 months ago."