April’s 5th day has brought with it a little snow this morning but, sadly, no Easter Monday football with it. So, as we get back on track with our retrospective series we can look forward to a rather better day than yesterday’s round-up.

Beginning in 1913 with a Middlesex League Premier Division match against the 2nd Battalion Scot’s Guards in which a couple of goals from Henry Pennifer and one from J H “Chummy” Parker secured a 3-0 win. Two years later the club hosted another set of soldiers, this time from the 2nd Sportsman’s Battalion in a friendly match, however there is no record of the result or goalscorers, this on the day that Jess Willard knocked out Jack Johnson to win the heavyweight boxing title.

In 1920 there was another friendly at The Avenue Ground, this time against Newportians and Hampstead Town romped to a 7-0 win. Three-years later in 1923 a local Athenian League derby at Enfield ended in a 3-2 win thanks to two goals from Ken Seabrooke and one from Cecil Wise. This win occurred on the day that Firestone began production of inflatable tyres and the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, George Herbert, who financed the search for and excavation of Tutankhamun’ tomb, passed away.

J Ashby scored twice in a 1926 win over West Norwood in the Athenian League, prolific striker Oscar Reinke grabbed the other goal in the 3-1 victory, and the 100% competitive record continued in 1930 as Walthamstow Avenue were beaten 1-0 at Claremont Road in the same competition thanks to an own goal on the day that England’s cricketers were finally dismissed for a then world record 849 against the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica.

Wartime saw another match-up with Wealdstone in 1941, this time in the Herts & Middlesex County League and Golders Green triumphed 4-3 at Claremont Road thanks to a brace apiece from Roy Stroud and John Griggs. Then in 1947 Bernard Bryant went one better by grabbing a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Barking back in the Athenian League, Bill Reay having to make do with just the two goals to complete the scoring.

It was Miles Spector, in 1958, that grabbed himself a brace in a 4-1 win over Maidstone United. Tommy Lawrence and Jimmy Quail were also on target to shake off their four-goal defeat the previous day in some style, and then in 1966 a visit to Wycombe Wanderers saw Laurie Churchill find the target, but the 100% record on 5th April dissolved as the Chairboys racked up three goals of their own to win 3-1 at Loakes Park.

Just a year later the Greens were denied a third consecutive visit to Wembley in the Amateur Cup as Skelmersdale United finally overcame their London opponents at The Hawthorns at the third time of asking. David Swain scored for the Greens but their Cheshire opponents won 3-1 to set up a final against Hendon’s great rivals, Enfield.

It was back to Isthmian League action and winning ways in 1969 as Peter Anderson and Frank Allen both scored in a 2-1 win over St Albans City, this on the day that former Leicester City defender Pontus Kamark was born and then in 1975 a fifth consecutive Middlesex Senior Cup final at Lower Mead, Wealdstone, saw Eggie James on target in the 2nd minute of extra time after a goalless 90 minutes to give the Greens the advantage. However, Arthur Rowlands quickly equalised to secure a draw – and a replay – for the Swans, this on the day that Chiang Kai-shek, the Chinese nationalist leader, died.

Another goalless 90 minutes with Staines in 1979 needs nothing more said about it, three-years later Barking dished out a 5-0 thumping of the Greens, also in the Isthmian League, on the day that Lord Carrington, then Foreign Secretary to Margaret Thatcher, resigned over the Falklands War.

A London Senior Cup tie at Finchley in 1986 saw the club slide out of the competition courtesy of a tame 2-0 defeat, this as a world record is set for the longest throw-and-return boomerang toss, clocking in at 121 metres. Eight-years later in 1994 as rock fans across the world mourned the loss of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain to suicide, Bradley Anderson settled a visit to Sutton United in the Isthmian League with the only goal of the game.

John Richardson and Junior Lewis both scored in a crucial 2-0 win over Carshalton Athletic in 1997 at Claremont Road to help Frank Murphy’s side inch their way towards safety, Allen Ginsberg was the poet to pass away this time around at the age of 71 and two years later as two Libyans suspected of bringing down Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988 are handed over from trial in The Netherlands, the Greens took on Wembley in the Middlesex Senior Cup final at Southbury Road.

The Division 1 side were much the better for large parts of the game and took the lead when centre half Danny Norris rose to head home just after half-time. The equaliser came when Paul Whitmarsh reacted quickly inside the penalty area to slot beyond Keita Karamoko and as the game entered stoppage time, Tony Kelly was dismissed for dissent. Davis Haule restored the Lions’ lead from the penalty spot 7 minutes into extra time but Whitmarsh once again equalised with a penalty of his own after he had been fouled.

With the final locked at 2-2 it went down to penalties. Although goalkeeper Gary McCann was fourth up for the Greens and had the chance to win the contest with the score standing at 3-2, his effort was a greater danger to any passing satellites than the goal. However, he atoned by making a superb save from Wembley’s next spot kick leaving Freddie Hyatt to chip home the winning spot kick and seal another cup triumph.

Ricci Crace was unable to stop the Greens falling to their usual defeat to Purfleet in 2003, the ‘Fleet winning 2-1 at Claremont Road. Then, five-years later in 2008 a Davis Haule hat-trick helped Gary McCann’s side to a thrilling 4-3 win at Hastings United, Lubo Guentchev also on target for the Greens, this on the day that Charlton Heston passed away.

Leon Smith and Tony Taggart grabbed the goals at Bridge Avenue in 2014 as AFC Hornchurch were defeated 2-1 in the Ryman League and we end with a tame 4-1 defeat against fellow strugglers Brentwood Town in 2016 for whom Alex Teniola grabbed a superb hat-trick. Five members of the Under-18 side were included in Gary McCann’s 16-man squad, three of whom started the game at the Brentwood Arena, Ben Pattie scoring the Hendon goal.

21 matches on 5th April have seen 13 matches won (including the penalty win against Wembley), just two drawn and six defeats. 41 goals have been scored and 34 conceded.