On This Day: 13th February

Greensnet Editor
Sat 13 Feb 2021, 11:03

Today’s look back in this history takes in 13th February and begins in the club’s very first season of existence in 1909. A Finchley & District League Division 3 match against Priory Athletic ended in a 3-2 defeat.

Six years later in 1915 as things were bogging down on the Western Front, particularly in the Champagne region where the French were desperately trying to hold off the German advance, in a friendly at The Avenue Ground against the Sporstman’s Battalion saw Hampstead Town win 3-1.

The first match of the inter-war period saw a visit to Ferryhill Athletic in the Amateur Cup in 1926 and end in a 4-0 defeat. There was better luck 6-years later in 1932 as Hounslow Town were comfortably defeated in the Middlesex Senior Cup 3-0, A Buchanan, Freddie Evans and Bill Butland scoring the goals.

1937 and Barking arrived at Claremont Road for an Athenian League fixture which then won 3-2, Jack Hill and Eric Soden’s goals for Golders Green counting for nothing and then we fast forward to 1954 and an Amateur Cup replay at Finchley which our local rivals won 2-1, Cliff Nock with the Hendon goal.

A Jimmy Quail goal in 1960 saw the Greens to a 1-1 draw in the Athenian League against Carshalton Athletic as France conducted its first nuclear test in Algeria and five-years later the two sides met again, this time in the Amateur Cup as Hendon continued their road to Wembley and eventual success with a 5-1 win over the Robins. Quail was again on target as were Roy Drake (2), Peter Slade and Danny Lakey.

We stay with the Amateur Cup in 1971 as Slough Town came to Claremont Road and returned to Berkshire with a 1-1 draw, John Baker with the Hendon goal as 12,000 South Vietnamese troops crossed into neighbouring Laos and US vice-president Spiro Agnew hit two tee shots into a crowd whilst playing golf injuring two spectators.

Barking returned to Claremont Road 36-years after their previous visit on 13th February and were dismissed with a 3-0 defeat. Keith Searle (2) and Tony Bass netted the Hendon goals and then in 1979 a Middlesex Senior Cup tie against Enfield ended goalless on the day that the Hood Canal Bridge in Washington State broke up during a fierce windstorm.

Farnborough Town were the visitors to Claremont Road in 1988 in the Isthmian League with a rare goal from Erskine Smart amongst the five scored by the Greens. Mick Kiely netted twice with Alan Campbell and Iain Dowie also on target in a 5-2 win. Five-years later in 1993 Wivenhoe Town held the Greens to a 1-1 draw at Claremont Road, Barry Blackman on target for the Greens.

Paul Whitmarsh took his tally for the season to 30 in 1999 as his double sunk Chesham United at Claremont Road in a 2-1 win and then 11-years later Wealdstone came to Vale Farm and won 3-2, future Hendon man Darren Locke equalising an early Greens opener from Anthony Thomas. Callum Martin struck twice for the Danny Spendlove-inspired Stones before Casey Maclaren pulled one back. James Bent was dismissed late on for Gary McCann’s side. Also in the Stones side that day was future goalkeeper Sean Thomas, future skipper Lee Chappell whilst future boss James Gray was on the bench.

Isaiah Rankin came off the bench 2-years later in 2012 at Billericay Town but could only net a consolation as the Blues won 2-1 and then in 2016 Dave Diedhiou secured a crucial point against high-flying Hampton & Richmond Borough at Earlsmead in a 1-1 draw – Jamal Lowe was on target for the Beavers.

We end in 2018 and a play-off 6-pointer that saw goals from Josh Walker and Arthur Lee beat Leiston 2-1 at Silver Jubilee Park, this on the day that South African President Jacob Zuma was ordered to step down by the A.N.C.

Of seventeen competitive matches played on 13th February the outcomes have been pretty even. Six wins and six defeats sandwiching five draws. 32 goals have been scored and 27 conceded.