Hendon lost their first game of the season when a Wayne Vaughan goal after 72 minutes was enough to seal a 1-0 victory to Purfleet at The Thurrock Hotel on Tuesday night. To make things harder for Hendon, Dale Binns was sent off in the 41st minute.

To Hendon fans, it is a mystery quite how Purfleet don't run away with the Ryman League title every year, at least on the basis of matches at Ship Lane. The Greens have not scored from open play since October 1995 and the only goal they have scored in 675 minutes was a penalty in October 2000.

Steve Butler, Mark Cooper, Steve Forbes and Kieran Gallagher all were in the starting squad after missing Saturday's match, but Iain Duncan was missing. This meant that Paul Towler slotted in at right back and Jamie Burgess moved to the lest side.

For the opening 10 minutes, Purfleet laid seige on the Hendon goal, but they failed to make a breakthrough. The closest was a long-range shot from Paul Linger which was headed clear by Burgess with David Hook struggling to get across his goal.

In the 21st minute, a corner from Paul Yates was met by Forbes, who got in front of Jimmy McFarlane, but he could not direct his header on target. It was just about the only opening Hendon created in the half and Purfleet fared little better.

Binns had a frustrating evening. Well marshalled by Steve Pashley, he rarely got free, especially as Mark Goodfellow or John Purdie was always in attendance to keep the winger quiet. The one time he did get free, Binns fired in a great low cross, but the assistant referee, ruled Ricci Crace offside, even though the cross went backwards.

In the 41st minute, a bad challenge by Pashley on Binns enraged the winger and he retailiated. The referee Mr S Beck decided the retaliation merited a red card, but the original foul no sanction other than a free kick.

Purfleet started the second half strongly, but the Hendon defence again held firm. The quartet of Towler, Butler, Cooper and Burgess operated a bend but don't break plan and it worked to good effect. Martin Randall and Crace were left far too close to their own goal be truly effective, but Forbes, Yates and Jon-Barrie Bates were all forced into more defensive roles than they wanted.

The only goal came barely a minute after George Georgiou had replaced Terry Bowes. A cross from Cliff Akurang beat David Hook and VAUGHAN powered the ball home despite the desperate efforts of a Hendon defender on the goalline - the clearance clanged off the crossbar but was already over the line.

Rob Haworth, Leon Woodruffe and Kieran Gallagher were introduced at the expence of Randall, Yates and Crace, respectively, and while they tried hard, the equaliser did not look likely to come. Bates did have one good shot, but Alex O'Reilly appeared to have the ball covered as it flew inches over his crossbar.