Hendon vs Cray Wanderers – Isthmian Premier – Saturday 17th August, 3 pm – Match Preview
Cray Wanderers are one the road this Saturday for the second successive week with the first visit to Hendon since March 2014. Kick off at Silver Jubilee Fields, 3 pm.
Both Cray and Hendon have a par score after two games each with a win and defeat apiece with Hendon 12th and the Wands 13th in the very early Isthmian Premier League table.
Cray Wanderers began the season with a bang last Saturday with a 2-0 win at Hashtag United with goals from Frankie Raymond and Dontai Stewart, with Shaun Rowley on his 100th appearance saving a penalty. However, on Tuesday night the first home league game at Flamingo Park ended in defeat as Cray Valley (PM) were deserving 2-0 winners. It is still very early in the season, the team are still gelling there have been some good performances in the first couple of games especially Rowley, Darion Dowrich, Charlie Edwards, David Smith and Quade Taylor and with a busy spell of games in August including the Bank Holiday Monday match at Dulwich Hamlet and the FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round on 31st August there is plenty to cram in in the next two weeks.
Despite the defeat the attendance of 840 augurs well for the season ahead and the Flamingo Park feelgood factor which carried through pre-season has given the club a new lease of life.
Hendon are making their return to the Isthmian Premier after six seasons in the Southern League Premier after the club were Isthmian top flight regulars from 1963-64 – 2017-18. Lee Allinson’s side finished tenth last season and were London Senior Cup Finalists. The Greens’ began the season with a 2-1 home win vs Bowers & Pitsea last Saturday coming from behind with goals from Joe White and Kai Brosnan. On Tuesday night, Hendon were beaten 1-2 at Dulwich Hamlet with Brosnan scoring again with the winner coming in the ninth minute of stoppage time.
The last time the two sides met was on 15th March 2014 with Hendon winning 2-0 when the Greens’ played at Harrow Borough. Overall the teams have met in the Isthmian Premier ten times with Cray winning twice, the last a 3-1 win on 2nd April 2011 with Lol Hamici (2) and Leigh Bremner scoring, Hendon five times and three draws.
Hendon were formed in 1908 as Christchurch Hampstead, then Hampstead Town, Hampstead and Golders Green before becoming Hendon in 1946. As Golders Green the Athenian League side reached the FA Cup 1st Round in 1934-35 losing to Southend United.
After World War II and as Hendon the club were Athenian League Champions in 1952-53 and reached the FA Cup 1st Round losing to Northampton Town and champions again in 1960-61 and FA Amateur Cup Finalists in 1955 losing to Bishop Auckland, They reached the 2nd Round in 1955-56 losing to Exeter City and in 1959-60 won the FA Amateur Cup at Wembley beating Kingstonian.
Hendon joined the Isthmian Premier in 1963-64 and were league champions the following season and won the FA Amateur Cup for the second time beating Whitby Town and reached the final in 1965-66 losing to Wealdstone. They won the FA Amateur Cup again in 1971-72 beating Enfield Town and were Isthmian League champions in 1972-73. In 1973-74, Hendon reached the 3rd Round of the FA Cup and held Newcastle United at St. James’ Park before losing in the replay played at Watford and the 2nd Round in 1975-76 losing to Swindon Town after beating Reading in the previous round.
Hendon were Isthmian Premier regulars over the decades and were runners-up in 2014-15 beating Met Police in the playoff semi-finals before losing to Margate in the final. Hendon moved to their current ground at Kingsbury in 2016 groundsharing with Edgware Town. They finished 3rd in their final season in the Isthmian in 2017-18 and defeated Folkestone Invicta in the playoffs before losing on penalties to Dulwich Hamlet in the final.
This should be a great away day past Wembley way and the Wands first visit to Silver Jubilee Park since March 1976 when Cray played Kingsbury Town and will be a new ground for many supporters and great to have Hendon back on the season calendar.
DIRECTIONS TO HENDON FC
Silver Jubilee Park, Townsend Ln, London NW9 7NE
Adults £12.00.
Senior Citizens & Students (with valid ID) £8.00 Eligibility for senior citizen prices is for those aged 65 and above.
Under 18’s £1.00.
Reduced admission of £8.00 to people that fall into the following categories upon production of appropriate ID. This applies to League games only, and not cup matches.
Current serving members of the armed forces. Employees of the emergency services. Registered disabled. Unemployed. Season ticket holders from clubs that currently play in the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two.
Matchday Programme: Printed £2.50.
Playing Surface: 3G
DIRECTIONS TO SILVER JUBILEE PARK
By Car
From Staples Corner travel north along the A5, towards Edgware, through West Hendon past Sainsbury’s on your right, to the junction with Kingsbury Road at the traffic lights. Turn into Kingsbury Road and Townsend Lane is the 3rd turning on the left, at the top of the hill. The ground is in the bottom left hand corner of the Silver Jubilee Park. Please note that on site parking is limited and the car park is often closed well before kick off. There is plenty of side street parking, but please park courteously.
By Train
Nearest National Rail station is Hendon (Thameslink). Buses 83 and 183 pass Hendon station and close to the ground. Best stop to alight 83 is Slough Lane (avoids walk up & down steep hill), and 183 is Townsend Lane.
By Tube
Nearest tube station is Kingsbury (Jubilee Line). Approximately a 20 minute walk along main road (turn right out of station) and right down Townsend Lane. Or bus 183 to the top of Townsend Lane.
By Bus
Buses 83 and 302 stop at Slough Lane, and 83 and 183 at Townsend Lane for a 5-10 minute walk to the ground.
The nearest pubs to the ground are The George (234 Church Lane) and The Wishing Well (175 Church Lane), an Irish Bar and both half a mile to Silver Jubilee Park. Slightly further away is the Corner House (2 Slough Lane) another Irish pub (the area has a sizeable Irish community). The nearest Wetherspoon’s pub is the Moon Under Water (10 Varley Parade) but is around 1.2 miles from the ground so around a five minute drive away.
Hendon FC are making their return to the Isthmian Premier after a six season absence in the Southern League and were mainstays of the league after World War II. The last time Cray Wanderers played at Hendon was in the 2013-14 season when they were playing at Harrow Borough FC but have since moved to Kingsbury playing at Silver Jubilee Park.
Kingsbury lies in North West London suburbia in the London Borough of Brent and close to the West of Hendon. If you arrive early there is the sizeable Fryent Country Park which shows off some fine Middlesex countryside and also the Brent Reservoir to the East of Kingsbury. The area became more urbanised after the First World War and was associated with the Aircraft Industry linked to the Hendon Aerodrome and being so close to Wembley, the road network into and out of the area was improved with the Stadium hosting the British Empire Exhibition in 1924.
There is a tube station on the Jubilee Line which is past Wembley Park and the area around the station includes places to eat and shops. Other places of interest are Roe Green Village which includes Kingsbury Manor, a Grade II listed building built in 1899 as well as Silver Jubilee Park where the ground lies. Also Blackbird Hill lies between Wembley Park and Neasden.
Kingsbury has a fine British Music lineage with Charlie Watts, George Michael, Jet Harris, Courntey Pine, Julie Rogers and Mick Tucker, drummer of glam rock band Sweet and Prog Rock band Yes, bassist Chris Squire all from or born in the area as well as footballers Stuart Pearce and Gary Waddock.
