Hendon travelled down to the Hampshire coast to face Blue Square Bet South division Havant & Waterlooville at West Leigh Park on Saturday and came away far the happier after a goalless draw in their friendly encounter.

Hendon plan against the Hawks was to focus on defence, with Greg Ngoyi a lone and mainly isolated striker for 75 minutes.

To this end, the performances of James Parker, who played at right-back in the first half and left-back in the second, Liam Hind, at right-back in the second half, and goalkeeper Berkeley Laurencin, who played the full 90 minutes, drew special praise from Greens manager Gary McCann.

"We set ourselves out to play in a certain way," he said. "This is especially important when we go to the teams who are likely to be contenders, Lowestoft, Bury, Kingstonian, etc., and I am delighted with the way we played.

"I think on good chances we just about shaded it, maybe four to three."

Mr McCann's satisfaction was probably not matched by the paltry crowd or the home dugout. They watched two goal-shy outfits cancel each other out, but while Hendon had a few players still missing, Shaun Gale's Havant & Waterlooville had only one of their prospective first team absent.

Both teams had played two preseason friendlies, and the Hendon goal against Barnet was the only one either had mustered in 360 minutes of play.

Laurencin was called into action early in the first half and he did superbly to come off his line to narrow the angle on Lee Peacock. He blocked the first shot, but Hendon conceded a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area when Wes Fogden was fouled going for the rebound.

The Hendon wall did its job as Steve Ramsey's strike cannoned into the silver-shirted line and the ball went away to safety.

It wasn't all one-way traffic and lone striker Greg Ngoyi was twice denied by good work from Nathan Ashmore in the Havant goal. He did especially well in a one-on-one to palm the ball away from Ngoyi and was then able to dive on it.

Craig Braham-Barrett looked to be Havant's most dangerous attacking source, but Parker played him very well and, on the rare occasions he got the better of him, the combination of Craig Vargas and triallist Elliott Brathwaite snuffed out any danger in the middle.

Peacock came close again when he met a corner from Sammy Igoe. His back-post header, however, went passed the outside of the far post.

Just before half-time, Diedhiou was presented with a great chance to open the scoring for Hendon. Unfortunately, with only Ashmore to beat, the midfielder lost his footing as he was about to shoot and Havant were able to clear the danger.

Mark Nwokeji, who had been very quiet when playing for AFC Wimbledon against Hendon in the London Senior Cup semi-final in April, had few chances to shine and was withdrawn midway through the second half. He was one of four changes, former Staines team-mate Jake Newton and Ryan Woodford and Fogden making way for Tom Garrett, Paul Hinshelwood, Perry Ryan and Malik respectively.

Hendon made three changes before the second half started, Hind, Bradley Fraser and James Burgess replacing Scott Cousins, Vargas and Diedhiou.

And the Greens continued to ring the changes during the second half with Danny Dyer coming on for Kevin Maclaren just past the hour mark, followed by James Fisher, Barkley Miguel Panzo, Rakatahr Hudson Alan Murray and Michael Peacock taking over from Jamie Busby, Carl McCluskey, Ngoyi, Casey Maclaren and Braithwaite, respectively. Only coach Junior Lewis of the 21 players who travelled down, didn't get a game.

Braham-Barrett made two dangerous runs down the flank but on both occasions Laurencin was equal to the danger.

Midway through the second half, Ngoyi was set up by Dyer for what was probably the best chance for either team in the whole match. Ashmore, however, narrowed the angle and Ngoyi, aiming for the inside of the far post, fired wide of the target.

The last opening went to Havant and the dangerous Braham-Barrett. This time he opted to shoot, but although the ball beat Laurencin, it kissed the outside of the post and went away from goal.