Hendon continued their unbeaten start to the Ryman League season with a 0-0 draw at Billericay Town on Monday afternoon. Although they have yet to concede a goal in a competitive match this season, the Greens will feel they should have beaten a team playing for 63 minutes with 10 men.

Any hopes of a repeat of last season's 10-goal feast never materialised and both defences remained on top for the full 90 minutes.

Sadly, the abiding memory of the match will be the nastiness that pervaded through the first half which reached a nadir in the 27th minute when Alvin Bubb, cousin of Hendon sub Byron, was sent off for a grotesque challenge that saw Micky Woolner stretchered off with a badly damaged foot.

The only change to the Hendon line-up following Saturday's victory over Hayes was Leon Woodruffe taking Paul Towler's place on the substitutes'bench.

In the opening minute, Ricci Crace headed the ball in the Billericay net, but referee Mr J Hopkins (Essex) ruled correctly that Martin Randall had interfered with goalkeeper Jerome John, who was struggling to get to the ball in any case.

Billericay, backed by a strong wind, soon began to exert pressure and to play with a confidence that comes from the perfect start of 3 wins from 3 games. In the 17th minute, David Hook produced an outstanding save to deny Paul Fewings after the former Hendon on-loan striker sent a powerful header goalwards.

In the 25th minute, Iain Duncan crossed the ball, but was clattered by Alvin Bubb. As Duncan lay on the ground Dave McDonald went over to him and shouted abuse at him. While Duncan was receiving treatment Mr Hopkins issued a yellow card to Bubb. The free-kick came to nothing and Billericay quickly launched an attack.

The Hendon defence dealt with the danger and the ball was passed to Woolner, who had just knocked it downfield when Bubb whent through even later. It was an awful challenge and the only surprise was that Mr Hopkins produced a yellow card before the red one to dismiss him.

Most disappointingly, a section of the home fans slow-handclapped Woolner as he was being placed on a stretcher before being taken off. It was a thoroughly unpleasant reaction. Initial fears of a broken foot were allayed by the Billericay club doctor who diagnosed bad bruising and recommended Woolner went for x-rays only if the swelling got worse. Kieran Gallagher replaced Woolner.

The aura of menace continued, not helped by both sets of players looking for vengeance off the ball following contact. Just before half-time, Hendon had loud shouts for a penalty turned down when Steve Butler was bundled over in the box. Mr Hopkins, well-positioned, waved aside the claims.

Billericay made a change at half-time, bringing on the giant Jamie Wallace to partner Mark Graham up front. Fewings had done little of note, getting no joy out of Mark Cooper and Butler.

The first on-target Hendon effort, technically, was a drop-kick from Hook which John caught just under his crossbar as Randall challenged. Hendon tried to stretch the game by utilising Dale Binns on the left and Gallagher on the right. The former had the beating of McDonald, but when the excellent Chris Penn helped his teammate, Binns was stifled.

The midfield battle remained not for the faint-hearted. Jon-Barrie Bates, Paul Yates and Steve Forbes were matched against Mark Brennan, Martin Carthy and Lee Williams and the result was stalemate. Both sets of players had half-chances going forward, but the high-bouncing ball and immediate challenge that ensued, made sure that nothing came of them.

In the 70th minute, a through ball gave Wallace a half-chance to run at goal, but Hook was quickly off his line and he won the ball with a magnificent block tackle. He picked himself up and drilled a 60-yard pass to Binns.

McDonald, for once, had no support and Binns ran onto the ball when he missed it. His shot was not struck entirely cleanly, but it did bounce just in front of John, who pushed the ball away with some difficulty.

Three minutes later, Byron Bubb replaced Binns, but he could not weave his magic. Then, in the 81st minute, Randall was withdrawn in favour of Rob Haworth, a physical match for the 6ft 4in that is Chris Moore. Moore doesn't believe in taking prisoners, but he rarely loses an aerial challenge and Hendon got nothing out of him in the air or on the ground.

In the 82nd minute, Cooper spotted John a few yards off his line so tried his luck from 45 yards. The shot was on target and going towards the angle of post and crossbar, but John recovered his position and gathered the ball at full stretch.

With five minutes to go, Hendon were denied a very clear penalty when Crace got behind McDonald and was clear favourite to reach a cross from Gallagher. McDonald shoved Crace to the ground with a two-handed push, barely 10 yards from Mr Hopkins, who was watching the incident. The Essex official froze and simply awarded a goal-kick, even though John got a touch to the cross.

"It's never dull down here," said manager Dave Anderson. "Sometimes there is a myth that it is easier to be a team of ten men than a full strength one. That is not true and today showed that."