Hendon recorded a second consecutive 1-0 Ryman League Premier Division victory on Tuesday night, this time shocking one of the preseason title favourites Bury Town at Ram Meadow. It may only be two games into the new season and the League table is essentially meaningless, but Hendon are second, trailing only newcomers and neighbours Wingate & Finchley on goals scored.

This was a superb Hendon performance, and an excellent match, very well officiated by the referee, who controlled the game quietly and efficiently. If Bury dominated the first half, then Hendon took control after the interval and, in truth, neither team really deserved to lose the game.

With Elliot Brathwaite missing out because of an injury, James Archer came into the team and the back four - so solid on Saturday - had to be reshuffled. Archer's place on the bench went to Junior Lewis, giving the Greens two former Premier League players substitutes' shirts.

When Hendon met Bury last season, in both matches the Blues controlled the early stages and scored a goal inside 10 minutes. This time, however, for all their possession and pressure, there was no end product. Indeed apart from a couple of crosses, Berkley Laurencin didn't have much to do.

It took about 20 minutes for Hendon to begin troubling the home defence, Greg Ngoyi being left a little too isolated to be effective as a lone striker. But once Carl McCluskey began to get forward the Blues rearguard looked far less comfortable and, with midfielders dropping back to help the defence, the potent Bury attack became even less effective.

In the 29th minute, a right wing cross from Casey Maclaren was flicked on by Ngoyi and Michael Peacock was able to first a shot at goal. He didn't make great contact but it still required a sprawling save from Marcus Garnham.

Bury's cause was aided by momentary lapses from the Hendon defence, not so much in allowing good goalscoring chances, but in the concession of free-kicks around their penalty area. The defence wall did its job twice, first blocking a drive and then, just before half-time, not leaving enough space for the ball to bend around it.

The Hendon fans who made the trip to Suffolk were more than satisfied with the first-half display and outcome; not so the management team and Freddie Hyatt felt that the team hadn't done enough going forward.

He, Gary McCann and Junior Lewis got their point over in the dressing rooms and the great start Hendon made to the second period caught out Bury. It would be fair to say they were not overrun, but they were definitely on the back foot and did not look very comfortable being dictated to.

In a bid to regain the initiative after an hour, Bury withdrew John Kennedy from midfield and sent on another striker, Roy Essandoh. It was a move which backfired on the Blues because Kennedy, as well as linking up well with the forwards, had kept Jamie Busby somewhat quiet in midfield. Instead of making Bury more potent, they were critically weakened.

Garnham made a fingertip save to deny Elliot Godfrey after 67 minutes, though the ball may well have been going over the crossbar. This led to run a three corners in a row and from the last of these, Casey Maclaren put a header inches wide of the far post with the goalkeeper struggling to reach the ball.

The game's only goal came after 70 minutes. Kevin Maclaren passed to Busby in the centre-circle and without a midfielder covering him, he was able to turn and pick out McCluskey before sprinting forward. McCluskey, who had caused problems by going outside defenders on a couple of occasions, showed he had more than one trick.

This time, he stopped and rolled the ball across the D of the Bury penalty. Without Kennedy - or anyone else - to check Busby's run or to cover the pass, the ball rolled to the Hendon midfielder, sitting up nicely for a shot. The effort from BUSBY, all along the ground, could not have been placed better as it flew inches inside the post and well beyond Garnham's despairing dive.

It was the first time that Hendon had led against Bury and the silver-shirted Dons knew they would have to stiffen their defensive resolve to hold on. Archer, Peacock, Scott Cousins and Ryan Wharton were more than up for the challenge, ably assisted by Kevin Maclaren in front and Laurencin behind.

Ngoyi was taken off a couple of minutes after the goal and Isiah Rankin took over. Bury also made another change, Craig Nurse replacing Stephen Smith. Casey Maclaren and Archer were very effective stifling Nurse and the forward-rading Mark Coulson down Bury's left, and most of their crosses foundered on the heads of Wharton and Peacock or in the hands of Laurencin.

The Blues, with their sheer weight of possession, were going to create a few chances, but their finishing was not close to the quality they displayed last season. Sam Reed did get one header on target, but Laurencin made a good save, while his striker partner Lee Reed was kept even quieter.

The best chance fell Keiran Leabon, with 10 minutes remaining. A deep cross picked out Kieran Leabon, who had time to pick his spot with his shot. He failed to hit the target as the ball flashed across the face of the goal, narrowly missing the far post.

A rare lapse in judgement by Laurencin, coming for a ball towards the edge of the Hendon box after 85 minutes nearly proved calamitous. He was beaten to the ball but not only did the oncoming Bury player's shot fail to find the net, a late assistant referee's flag for offside made the miss meaningless.

Despite almost five minutes of stoppage time, the Hendon defence held out as Bury's attacks became more and more desperate, almost resigned to the fact that this wasn't going to be their evening and unable to conjure up a way to goal.

"We are buzzing after that win," said a delighted McCann. "I felt we were nice and solid, just as we were on Saturday. The back five were excellent and they built the platform for the more forward players.

"Everyone played very well, but Carl McCluskey was exceptional. He proved a real handful."