On we march with our retrospective ‘on this day’ series as we take a look back at matches that have been played on the 3rd March over the years. Our story begins in 1913, on the day that the British suffragette Emeline Pankhurst was sentenced to 3 years in prison, with a Middlesex Charity Cup semi-final that saw Southall beaten comfortably 5-0 at The Avenue Ground, this took the club through to their first ever senior cup final less than five years after formation where they would meet Uxbridge just nine days later.

Two years later in 1915 in the midst of the opening spring of World War 1 the club played host to a team made up of Belgian Refugees, many of whom had moved to the Hampstead area and enjoyed watching the club since their arrival, unfortunately the scoreline has been lost to the mists of time. Five years later in 1920 an Athenian League game against Metrogas at The Avenue Ground ended in a 0-0 draw.

Six years later Barking Town came to the Avenue Ground in one of the final matches to be staged at the old venue and returned with a 4-3 win in the Athenian League and then in 1937 a visit to Sutton United ended in a 1-1 draw with Johnny Browne grabbing the Golders Green goal.

A wartime Claremont Road derby in 1943 went the way of the tenants as Tufnell Park cantered to a 3-0 win over the Green in the Herts & Middlesex County League before in 1948, on the day that President Truman signed the Marshall Plan which paved the way for $5billion of aid for 16 countries, the club returned to the Athenian League end in a 1-1 draw with Enfield, Bob Avis on target for the Greens.

1953 saw an avalanche of goals at Claremont Road as the Greens overwhelmed Redhill 11-1. Roy Stroud led the way with a four-timer whilst Derek Snaith, Alan Benningfield and Cliff Nock each grabbed a brace and Arthur Phebey had to make do with one goal. Nock was on target just a year later as the Greens returned to Sutton United once again in the Athenian League, this time going down to a 2-1 defeat.

Albert Grainger, in 1961, emulated Roy Stroud’s achievement eight years previously by nabbing four goals, this time all four in a 4-1 win over Hayes on the road in the Athenian League, this on the day that US film-star and comedian Eddie Murphy was born in Brooklyn, New York, and the goals continued to flow four-years later in 1965 as Corinthian Casuals were beaten 6-0 as the Hendon title challenge continued unabated. David Hyde had to make do with just a hat-trick as Arthur Peel, Jimmy Quail and Peter Slade made up the other goalscorers.

There were five more in 1970 as Bromley were beaten 5-0 at Claremont Road. Micky Cannon netted twice along with David Hogwood, John Wilson and John Baker and Baker was on the mark just a year later as another clash with Sutton United, this time at Claremont Road, ended in a 1-1 draw.

It was Ilford, in 1976, who were to enjoy a handsome win in the Isthmian League, as they thrashed the Greens 4-0 before Brotherhood of Man brought home the Eurovision trophy with ‘Save Your Kisses For Me’ in The Hague. Six years later as the UN Security Council demanded Argentina withdraw her troops from the Falkland Islands, the Greens returned to winning ways as Dermot Drummy and Kevin Folan grabbed the goals in a 2-1 win over Croydon.

Four years later in 1986 Billericay Town were well beaten at New Lodge, 4-1, by the rampant Greens. Steve Parsons, Bobby Harding, Colin Tate and Andy O’Brien were the goalscorers and another four years on a visit to Kingstonian ended ignominiously as the K’s ratcheted up a 3-0 win.

In 1993 a visit to Stag Meadow saw goals from Dereck Brown and substitute Barry Blackman clinch a 2-1 win over Windsor & Eton on the day that saw the Grand National abandoned after a false start and six-years later in 1999 a Thameslink derby against Boreham Wood went the way of the Hertfordshire side who won 2-0 at Meadow Park.

Moving into the new millennium and goals from Mark Cooper and Ricardo Alves saw Billericay Town beaten again, this time 2-1 at Claremont Road and just a year later an unlikely brace from defender Antony Howard helped Dave Anderson’s side to an impressive 3-1 success over Maidenhead United. Eugene Ofori netted the other goal.

We finish in 2012 and a visit to AFC Wimbledon in the semi final of the London Senior Cup at Kingsmeadow. The South London side included a number of players who have gone on to become household names at Step 3 and above – Dwayne Campbell, Brendan Kiernan, Jason Prior, Louie Theophanous and Jack Turner – however they were no match for Gary McCann’s well-organised Hendon side who won 2-0 thanks to goals from Jerome Federico and Jack Mazzone to secure another final appearance, this one against Kingstonian.

Of the 21 competitive matches so far to have been played on 3rd April there have been 11 wins recorded, four draws and six defeats. A joint high of 53 goals have been scored and 29 conceded.