In as much as any friendly defeat is a disappointment to fans, Hendon will nonetheless learn much from their game against FC Romania.

FC Romania, who are about to start their second season in Isthmian League Division One North, have made a dramatic rise through non-league football, having won promotion from the Essex Senior League in 2018.

They still had four players from their days in the step five league as well as a couple of other players who played elsewhere in the same competition.

Both teams had chances to score in an open first half but the accuracy was lacking from the forwards.

There was a lengthy stoppage midway through the period when Maradona Dumitru bear-hugged Howard Hall after the latter won a tussle for possession. Dumitru went down with an obvious head-wound while Hall was nursing a sore wrist, but before anyone should think there was something untoward in the incident, there was nothing as Hall was trying to extricate his pinned arms as he ran.

When play resumed, Dumitru sported a large head bandage and Hall continued to look at his tender forearm.

The only goal of the game came on the stroke of half-time. Roddy Lemba made good ground forward and attracted two defenders towards to him and his pass found George Taban in space.

The midfielder took a touch to set himself up and TABAN then drilled a low shot just inside the bottom corner, beyond the dive of Chris Grace.

Hendon made seven changes at half-time, and for a while they were a little disjointed. Romania made their substitutions during the second half and continued to play with a purpose that unsettled the Greens defence.

Ogo Obi had a great chance to draw level but Adrian Darabant was quickly off his line and forced the striker to shoot wide.

As the half progressed, the game became a little tetchy and a couple of challenges inflamed passions, but there were enough cool heads around to ensure the situations didn’t get out of control.