Eastbourne Borough bowed out of the FA Trophy at the first hurdle after losing their Second Round tie at Hendon.
The Southern League Premier South side scored two second half goals to seal a 2-0 win at Silver Jubilee Park.
Borough, though, had their chances – particularly in a first half that saw them miss a penalty – but with a threadbare squad had no reply.
Mark Beard could only name 13 players on the team sheet in North London, with Michael Olarewaju only named in an emergency alongside goalkeeper Fin Holter on the bench.
That meant there were starts for new signing Lucas Defise, as well as Alfie Bridgman and Freddie Carter. Harrison Foulkes started in goal after injury to Ben Dudzinski after Tuesday night’s loss at home to Tonbridge.
Eastbourne started on the front foot, with Hendon allowing their visitors to keep the ball moving across the back in the early stages.
Debutant Defise found Decarrey Sheriff on the right seven minutes in. He was allowed the cut inside onto his left foot, but his low drive was straight at Matt Kerbey.
Fletcher Holman then whipped in a free-kick to the far post, where Dan Quick headed the ball back across goal but just out of reach from a Borough shirt.
The Sports were then presented a great opportunity to go in front after 16 minutes. Holman cut inside from the left before was clipped inside the area, and the referee pointed to the spot.
Sheriff stepped up, but saw his drive to Kerbey’s left turned away by the diving keeper, who guessed right.
Holman then latched onto a good ball through from Archie Procter to send himself through on goal, but a heavy touch took him wide before he could only fire wide of the near post when off balance.
The missed penalty seemed to galvanise the hosts, and they grew into the tie. A low ball in from the lively Sam Adeonlay fell to Brosnan inside the area, but he poked his shot wide of the goal before Joe White saw a glancing header go wide when well placed.
Hendon then had a great chance to go in front before the break when Leonard broke down the right and he set up Niko Muir, but well placed he could only blaze over from twelve yards.
The Sports survived a scare within five minutes of the restart when a corner came in and eventually found Dave Diedhiou at the far post, and his audacious overhead kick across goal came back off the post.
But they weren’t to escape punishment just before the hour mark. White headed a crossfield ball down into the path of Adenolay, who from the edge of the area volleyed it beyond Foulkes and into the bottom corner.
The Borough keeper had to be alert to turn Brosnan’s low drive around the far post as the hosts kept pushing forwards shooting up the slope, but he couldn’t do anything to prevent Hendon doubling their lead with 14 minutes to go.
Adenolay was this time the provider, driving down the right hand side before cutting the ball across to Muir who from inside the area lost his marker to slot home.
Borough threatened to get back into the game late on, but Bridgman’s cross-come-shot that clipped the post was the closest they would come.