Hendon knew the best way to create pressure on AFC Wimbledon in front of their 2,000-plus crowd was to frustrate their forwards.

However, it took AFC Dons barely 30 seconds to break the deadlock, after which they were no better than Hendon for the rest of the opening period. However, after the break, with Roscoe Dsane and Byron Bubb in fine form, the Greens could not hold out but, even then, the final score of 3-0 did not reflect on the game.

Loan signing Dean Green, formerly with Staines, but who had scored against Hendon at both reserve and first team level at Dulwich Hamlet, came in for his debut and Jermaine Hunter was also restored to the starting 11, at the expense of Takumi Ake and Rakatahr Hudson, who dropped to the bench.

It was a bold and brave move to attack the Wombles from the start, but it became necessary with barely half a minute gone. A long ball downfield from Mark Rooney hung in the air longer than Jazz Rose expected and his attempted back-header to Richard Wilmot was far weaker than necessary.

Dsane nipped in, evaded a challenge from the over-committed Wilmot and rolled the ball into the empty net. Had Dsane gone down as Wilmot challenged him, he would undoubtedly have won a free-kick and given the referee little option but to dismiss the goalkeeper.

That was, amazingly the only shot on target in the opening 42 minutes. There were a couple of chances at both ends: for Hendon, Lee O'Leary shot wide after six minutes, and Green put an attempt over the bar ten minutes before the break; for the Dons, Dsane fired over and also wide, a free-kick from Steve Wales hit the wall and a deep cross from Scott Fitzgerald just missed the angle of post and bar.

Two minutes before half-time, Wimbledon were awarded a direct free-kick 30 yards out. There is no question that the challenge from Ross Pickett was a foul. Nevertheless, the referee decided it was a direct free-kick and Bubb's low drive was well saved by Wilmot as it bent around the wall.

Wimbledon came out for the second half in a more determined mood and they quickly had Hendon on the back foot. And, after a couple of near misses, they delivered the killer blow eight minutes into the period.

Bubb did exceptionally well to keep the ball in play near to the goal line on the edge of the box and get around Ryan Wharton. He then curled a cross which Craig Vargas might had dealt with had he been given a call of "man on". Instead, he waited the ball and was beaten to it by Wales, who guided the ball inside the near post.

Hendon's best chance came after 63 minutes when a half-clearance from former Greens star Antony Howard fell invitingly for Pickett. He met the ball on the volley and his drive was brilliantly kept out by Andy Little.

Hendon made their three changes: Ake (on for Hunter) looked dangerous when he got the ball, but it happened all to rarely. Dean Thomas (replacing Nas Richardson) made as little impression as Hunter, while Jamie Busby took over from Wharton, and tried manfully to cope with Bubb. Wimbledon's only change was bringing on Richard Butler for Fitzgerald - and that hardly weakened the Dons.

Indeed, it was the substitute who was involved in the final goal - this after Dsane had twice hit the woodwork and Vargas had blocked a goalbound drive with his elbow, without punishment - with what proved to be the last kick of the match.

Butler worked his way into the penalty area, tussling with Rose. The big defender was being leaned on by Butler, who was trying to turn him. Rose then slipped put his hands out to save his balance and Butler went down, with a penalty a result. Dsane stepped up and duly despatched the spot kick to Wilmot's right - as the keeper dived left - and was still celebrating as the final whistle blew seconds later.

"You can't legislate for a defensive error like that in the first 30 seconds," said manager Gary McCann. "Everything we had said in the dressing room before kick-off went out of the window within seconds. But we battled well and were at least as good as them. in the first half. Better players than ours have been outplayed by DSane and Bubb when they are in that form - they are at least two leagues lower than they should be."