Following the epic cup successes of yesterday, today sees more cup semi-final success that whilst fewer in number are arguably greater in prestige. Before we get to those matches we begin way back in 1921.

A journey to Luton Clarence on 12th March 100 years ago ended in defeat with the Bedfordshire side triumphing 3-1 – Lewis Smith netting for Hampstead Town. That scoreline that was doubled half a dozen years later as Uxbridge Town dished out a 6-2 thrashing in 1927, Harry Shearcroft grabbing one of the Hampstead goals along with an own goal.

In 1932 and at the club’s first home game on 12th March, Hayes were beaten 3-2 in the Athenian League thanks to goals from Freddie Evans (2) and A Cole before giving way to a 17-year hiatus until 1949. A trip to Enfield ended in a comfortable 3-0 win for the Greens thanks to goals from the ever-prolific trio of Roy Stroud, Bill Reay and Bob Avis.

Half a dozen years later in 1955 at White Hart Lane, home of Tottenham Hotspur, Hounslow Town were defeated 2-1 in the FA Amateur Cup semi-final. Eric Parker gave the Greens a lead on 37 minutes that was equalised on the hour mark. Left-back Eric Beardsley grabbed the winner in the 73rd minute with a free-kick to take Hendon to their first Amateur Cup final at Wembley Stadium where they would meet the giants of the North-East, Bishop Auckland.

Five years on in 1960 the venue was Griffin Park as the Greens met their North London rivals Enfield in another Amateur Cup semi-final. Jimmy Quail hit the crossbar after 5 minutes before Laurie Topp opened the scoring with a rare goal from 20-yards to provide a half-time advantage. Six minutes after the restart Brian Figg extended the lead from Quail’s pass, an advantage that despite Enfield pressure they never looked like ceding. This time it was Kingstonian they would meet at Wembley Stadium in the final.

1963 saw a local visit to Wealdstone in their final Athenian League season end in defeat as David Bell and Miles Spector grabbed the goals in a 3-2 reverse before a 1966 London Senior Cup replay against the same opponents, the two clubs’ fourth meeting of the season – and by no means the last – saw the Stones win 2-1, Roy Sleap grabbing the Hendon goal.

Two years later in 1968 Dulwich Hamlet were beaten 3-1 in the Isthmian League thanks to a brace from Tony Harding and another from Rod Haider, this on the day that Mauritius gained independence from the United Kingdom and nine years later in 1977 against the same opponents, Steve Jefferies, Roy Butler and George Brooks scored in a 3-0 win.

In 1983 as Don Ritchie breaks a world record running 50 miles in 4 hours, 51 minutes and 49 seconds (madness!) Tooting & Mitcham United came to Claremont Road and returned to South East London with a share of the spoils following a 0-0 draw. It was honours even five years later as well as Wokingham Town returned from Claremont Road in 1988 with a 1-1 draw, Duncan Hardy on target for the Greens.

Marlow were the next side to come to the Theatre of Dreams and take points home with them in 1991 as they beat the Greens 2-0, then Chesham United did the same in 1994, winning 1-0 on the day that the Church of England ordained its first female priests, and Aylesbury United repeated the feat in 1996 winning 1-0, albeit at Buckingham Road to keep the Greens firmly rooted in the relegation mire.

Life as a Hendon fan got no better either side of the new millennium as a 1998 London Challenge Cup tie against Uxbridge at Claremont Road ended in a 3-1 humbling, Warren Ryan on target for Frank Murphy’s side, and then a visit in 2002 to Gander Green Lane saw Steve Butler grab the Hendon goal in a 2-1 defeat.

That run of five straight defeats and seven matches without a win on 12th March finally came to an end in 2005 as Ross Pickett scored the only goal in a game against Kingstonian at Claremont Road and a couple of years later in 2007 Jamie Busby did the same against Folkestone Invicta, also at Claremont Road in the Isthmian League.

In 2011, on the day of the Fukushima nuclear disaster a day after an earthquake rocked Japan, Hendon returned from another visit to Gander Green Lane without reward as the hosts cantered to a 3-0 win, Aaron Morgan seeing red for the Greens. Two years later and there was another 3-0 defeat with another striker receiving an early bath, this time Wingate & Finchley knocking Gary McCann’s men out of the London Senior Cup with Isaiah Rankin talking himself into an early bath.

We end in 2016 where a Brandon Adams penalty secured a point against Canvey Island in a 2-2 draw at Earlsmead. Veteran Cliff Akurang twice netted for the Gulls with Dave Diedhiou also on target for the Greens as they continued their inch to safety.

22 matches on 12th March so far has seen 8 wins, three draws and 11 defeats with 29 goals scored and 36 conceded.