Hendon were given a lesson in organization by a young Brentford side containing half a dozen players on the first team fringe, plus a veteran goalkeeper who kept them on their toes.

It would be both unfair and wrong to say that Hendon were outclassed; they simply were unable to find a way past a well-marshalled team, who did nothing flashy, but were very effective.

The Greens played some very attractive football, with good passing and clever running - but this was because Brentford were content to see the ball in front of their back four, and confident they would deal with anything that came at them.

When they had the ball, Brentford asked few questions of the Hendon defence and most of the Bees best moments came from situations away from the penalty area.

The only goal of the game was more than a bit special - in fact, if it was shown on television, it would be a strong candidate for goal of the season.

After half an hour, Chris Bush won the ball midway inside his own half. He rode a couple of challenges to get through the centre circle and continued running towards the Hendon penalty. Two more defenders came across, but they were brushed aside before Bush unleashed a perfectly placed powerful drive into the bottom corner.

Eight minutes later, Pelayo Gomez nearly doubled the Brentford advantage when he struck a powerful long-range drive off the top of the Hendon crossbar with James Reading again well beaten.

It was an altogether happier night for the teenaged Spaniard, whose last visit to Vale Farm - when on loan at Carshalton Athletic in April - ended with an injury after just 33 minutes.

Hendon made nine changes at half-time, with only Matt O'Brien and Aaron Morgan continuing after the interval. The trickery of Lubo Guentchev and power of Glenn Garner certainly unsettled the Brentford defence more than they had been in the first half, but Garner picked up a thigh strain after a strong run and he was unable to continue.

Late on, Hendon got a couple of half-chances, but players in fair positions went for glory when passes or headers to better-placed team-mates may well have brought a goal.

Hendon manager Gary McCann said, "It was good exercise and a good test for us. Our passing and approach play was very good, but their defence was solid and well organised. I don’t think we worked their goalkeeper enough.

"I told the players to run a bit more at them in the second half and I thought we made them work much harder in defence."