(Not) On This Day: 26th April

Greensnet Editor
Tue 27 Apr 2021, 15:46

The 26th April sees a rather more timid round-up with ten matches fewer than yesterday’s review, just the 25 matches on the menu today but plenty of goals to report.

Everything began relatively calmly in 1913 as a London League match with Wood Green Town saw Henry Pennifer score twice in a 2-0 win as Sun Yet San calls for a revolt against President Yuan Shikai in China. Nine-years later in 1922 and Sutton United cruised to a 4-1 win in the Athenian League in Surrey, H White scored the Hampstead Town goal.

That was the first of three matches in consecutive years, each of which took place in the Athenian League, each of which were away from home and each of which were lost. Lewis Smith and Freddy Young scored in a 3-2 defeat in 1923 at Barnet before Ken Seabrooke scored the only Hampstead Town goal in 1924 at Luton Clarence in a 3-1 reverse.

A break from action in 1925 was followed by an astonishing match in 1926 against Cheshunt that ended in a 9-3 win. Sid Cousins led the way with three aided by J Ashby, Cecil Wise and Vic Rowe who grabbed two goals apiece, this on the day that Germany signed a neutrality pact with the USSR. Another two-years later in 1928 and Billy Neill was on target in a somewhat more placid 1-1 draw with Barnet at Claremont Road as Madame Tussauds reopened in London following a fire.

1930 saw a return to losing ways as a visit to North London rivals Finchley ended in a 1-0 defeat and then in 1939 a clash with Casuals at Barnet in the Will Mather Cup saw the Amateur veterans defeat Golders Greens 2-0.

There was another goal fest in 1943 as Wood Green Town once again provided the opposition, this time in the Herts & Middlesex County League. Roy Stroud scored twice along with one each from R Webb, Dave Chappell and Ron Mitchell in a thrilling 5-4 win. Stroud was amongst the goals again four-years later in 1947 back in the Athenian League, this time along with Bill Reay as the Greens were humbled 5-2 by Reigate.

Just a year later and Stroud, again, scored in another Will Mather Cup match-up with an Arsenal XI who, just as they did in 1947, won comfortably 4-1 at Claremont Road. In 1951 a visit to Barking made it three consecutive defeats as the East Londoners won comfortably 3-0.

The 1960s saw just the one match, this in 1961 as Graham Davies and Norman Field scored in a 2-0 win over Walton & Hersham. Nine-years later in 1970 the club once again contested the Eastbourne Charity Cup against Eastbourne and drew the game 1-1. Norman Windsor grabbed his solitary Hendon goal, although as the game is treated as a friendly in the club record books, officially it counted for absolutely nothing.

That draw led to another barren spell which continued in 1977 with a 3-1 defeat at Staines Town which was notable only for the rarest of rare birds, a Gary Hand goal, this on the day that Studio 54 opened in New York City – there is no record of Hand having visited to celebrate. Steve Hudson and Peter Deadman scored in a 1980 game at Harlow Town that ended 2-2.

Six-years later in 1986 as the world watched on in horror at the unfolding disaster at reactor number 4 in Chernobyl that led to the death of 31 in the world’s worst nuclear disaster, the Greens played out a 1-1 draw with Bognor Regis Town in a game that saw Steve Newing on target for the visiting side at Nyewood Lane. Just a year later in 1987 and Dermot Drummy’s goal secured a 1-1 draw in the 1st leg of the GMAC Cup at Burton Albion.

Another run of three matches in consecutive season concluded in 1988 as Iain Dowie scored against Hitchin Town only for the Canaries to net four of their own in a 4-1 win. The winless run that stretched way back to 1961 was finally ended in 1994 as Wivenhoe Town were beaten 4-0 at Claremont Road as Tommy Mason and Scott Ashenden struck two goals apiece, this on the day of the first ever multi-racial elections to be held in South Africa.

There were four more goals in 1997 as Bromley were beaten 4-1 at Claremont Road. Richard Nugent, John Ugbah, John Richardson and Junior Lewis were the men on target in what has proven to be, to date, the club’s last success on 26th April. Indeed, in 2001, just 24-hours after beating Dulwich Hamlet, the Greens were back in action at Claremont Road and going down 2-0 to Billericay Town.

Two-years later in 2003 and goals from Paul Towler and Ricci Crace threatened to ruin Aldershot Town’s title party at the Recreation Ground in Hampshire. However, the Shots then put in a virtuoso half-hour performance inspired by Aaron McLean and in which goalkeeper Nikki Bull scored a penalty as they celebrated in style, winning 6-2. There was disappointment five-years later as a side carrying a number of walking wounded went down on the final day of the campaign at home to Wealdstone, 2-1, to deny them a place in the play-offs – Ramsgate pipping them to the post. Belal Aite-ouakrim was the man on target.

We end in 2014 with the final day of that particular campaign also ending in defeat, Dave Diedhiou and Leon Smith both on target against Margate but going down to the Kentish side 3-2.

Of the 25 matches to have taken place on 26th April there have been just six wins, with five draws and a whopping 14 defeats. 46 goals have been scored and 59 conceded in another goal-laden day.