Following the tedium of yesterday’s look back across the past 113 years of Hendon Football Club’s history the 26th February brings with it far better cheer with plenty more wins, goals and happy memories. All of which begins in 1910 with a visit to Drayton Park in the Finchley & District League Division 2 and, a couple of weeks after an 8-0 win over the same opponents, this time a rather closer affair which was won 2-1 by the Greens.

In 1921 a visit to Summerstown in the Athenian League ended in a 4-2 win, Cecil Wise, Cecil Burrage, H White and G Perry grabbed the goals before 1927 brought with it a Middlesex Senior Cup tie at Tufnell Park and a 7-goal thriller. G H Smith netted a hat-trick and Harold Pease scored in a 4-3 win and then a 1938 game against Tooting & Mitcham United in the Athenian League Golders Green won 2-0 at Claremont Road with Dave Walker grabbing the two goals.

1944 saw a Herts & Middlesex County League match against St Albans City ended in a 3-2 win as Ron Mitchell, George Bucci and Peter Bossoms scored before 5-years later in 1949 the club’s 100% record on this day came to an end with a goalless draw at Gander Green Lane against Sutton United, this on the day that a USAF began the 1st non-stop circumnavigation of the globe by flight.

6-years later in 1955 a last-eight Amateur Cup tie against Wimbledon saw the Greens progress comfortably into the semi-finals with a 4-1 win at Claremont Road. Swiss ‘B’ international Erwin Bahler grabbed one of the goals whilst Eric Parker thumped home a hat-trick. Eleven-years later another Amateur Cup quarter-final saw 5,489 pack into Claremont Road as Wycombe Wanderers came to town.

John Evans, who had turned down a call-up to the Welsh Amateur side to play in the game, lobbed home in the 2nd minute to give the Greens the advantage. Wycombe equalised before Laurie Churchill met a Dave Swain cross and thumped it beyond the Wycombe keeper for the winner. There was a huge setback later in the 37th minute that saw talisman Jimmy Quail taken to hospital with a serious leg injury that would keep him out for the rest of the campaign. Playing the rest of the match with 10-men, the Greens remained firm in defence and dangerous on the break to keep Wycombe honest.

The Greens’ march to the title and unbeaten run in the league continued in 1973 with a 2-1 win over Enfield thanks to goals from Tony Bass and Fred Pudney before Clapton were beaten a year later 3-0 with Derek Baker, Kieron Somers and sub Roger Connell on target.

In 1977 John Butterfield grabbed the goal in a 1-1 FA Trophy draw at Weymouth before a 1991 visit to Leyton-Wingate ended in a 2-1 win thanks to strikes from Andy O’Brien and Uche Egbe, this on the day that coalition forces launched air strikes on retreating Iraqi forces leaving Kuwait leaving hundreds dead and creating the so-called ‘Highway of Death’.

Barry Blackman was on target in a 1994 visit to Marlow that ended 2-1 to the hosts in the league however Bob Dowie’s men would return within a few months in the Full Members Cup final and create some happier memories. That was the club’s first defeat on 26th February, ending an unbeaten run stretching back 84-years since that first game at Drayton Park. The ship was steadied in 2000 as Simon Clarke grabbed a goal with a bullet header at New Lodge to seal a 1-1 draw at Billericay Town.

A 2005 match against Folkestone Invicta continued Gary McCann’s unbeaten start as manager after Steve McGrath grabbed a debut goal and John Frendo’s strike in the second half secured a 2-1 win and a 2008 London Senior Cup quarter-final visit to Leyton saw Casey Maclaren and Belal Aite-ouakrim score in a 2-1 win to secure a semi-final trip to Bromley.

Junior Morias continued his sparkling form in 2013 with both goals in a 2-1 success at Hampton & Richmond Borough before Matty Harriott’s goal had given Jimmy Gray’s side just reward for a superb first-half performance against Weymouth at Silver Jubilee Park in 2019 at the break. However, the eventual champions showed their class after the break to grab three goals before Ogo Obi’s excellent free kick provided a late consolation for the Greens on a day that had seen temperatures reach the low 20s in stark contrast to conditions a fortnight previously in which a snap blizzard had seen a late postponement to the original match.

Of 18 matches, 13 have been won with 3 draws and 2 defeats giving a win percentage of 72.2% - the second highest of the 51 days so far covered. 39 goals have been scored and 22 conceded across those 18 games to date.