Last of the cups as Dulwich entertain Hanwell Town in a second round London Senior Cup tie tonight, kick off 7.45 pm.

Revenge may well be a dish served cold, very cold in this instance for it is some years since Dulwich and Hanwell last crossed paths in this competition. However that crushing defeat in a similar London Cup tie, allied to one of equal magnitude a number of years previous still weigh heavy on the minds of those unfortunate few who watched on in horror.

Hanwell Town Football was born back in 1920 by a group of Geordie exiles working locally, who reminded themselves of their far off North East by adopting the black and white stripes of Newcastle United’s magpies as their colours. Originally, the club competed in the London League but after the end of hostilities dropped down to more local leagues at the end of World War II.

In 1970 the team stepped up to the Middlesex County League but by the early 80s were playing in the London Spartan League and about to embark on their most successful era to date. In 1983/84 they clinched the Senior Division championship and were promoted to the Premier Division. During their time in the London Spartan League Premier Division the club enjoyed much success in the London Senior Cup, the competition second in importance then to the London Challenge Cup. Three times in a row from the 1991/92 season to the 1993/94 season they made it to the final winning it twice. In 1991/92 they defeated now defunct Croydon Athletic 4-3 in a replay after a 2-2 draw in the original tie. In 1992/93 it was the turn of Brimsdown Rovers, another club no longer competing, to be beaten, again 4-3 but this time at the first attempt. The following season the Geordies were back in the final but a hat trick of triumphs was denied them as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Ford United, now known as Redbridge FC).

It was also in this period of unprecedented success in the club’s history that Hanwell made their debut in the FA Cup in the 1988/89 season, making it to the Second Qualifying round before losing to Wembley 1-0 at home.

When the Spartan league amalgamated with the South Midlands League in 1998, Hanwell were placed in the Premier Division South but after the league's initial transitional season, a reorganisation saw them moved down into the Senior Division. They immediately won promotion back to the Premier Division where they remained until reorganisation of the non-league system in 2006 saw them placed in the new Southern League Division One South and West. In their first season in this division they finished second bottom and were relegated. Former player Keith Rowlands (the club’s leading scorer) and Boysie Wise who succeeded Chris Boothe in May 2008 then jointly managed the club. Wise left at the end of the 2009/10 season. The team was then managed solely by Rowlands but after sliding into the relegation places by December 2011 Rowlands resigned. He was replaced by Tommy Williams. However the club finished in 21st place but was saved from relegation because no club came down from Step 4 of the football pyramid to the Spartan South Midlands League. Williams left the club at the end of the season and was succeeded by former manager Ray Duffy returning for his second spell in charge.

Under Duffy the club began to rise again developing a reputation for goal strew football, finishing in sixth spot at the end of season that saw but a single goalless game over the course of the campaign. The current season has seen the club build on that and more. Eighteen games in the campaign and Hanwell boast an impressive league record of just one defeat and one draw in eighteen league games, racking up 65 goals in the process and conceding just 13. Perversely their near perfect record, the only blemish a 2-1 defeat at London Colney, does not see the Geordies claim top spot, the summit currently occupied by Ampthill Town, the only other club to steal a point off Hanwell. Four points separate the Geordies from pole position but with four games in hand it seems only a matter of time before they overleap their rivals in the chase for the championship.

Though FA Cup dreams were stillborn in an Extra Preliminary Round replay defeat at home to Cockfosters, elsewhere the chase for silverware has been gaining apace, Hanwell progressing to the Third Round Proper of the FA Vase after coming away from the long trek up to Great Yarmouth Town with a 2-1 win that gave them a home tie with Kent side Lordswood this coming Saturday. Meanwhile in the London Senior Cup they caused easily the biggest shock of this season’s competition so far as they annihilated Ryman Premier Division strugglers, Harrow Borough. A Harrow team containing former QPR and Brentford striker Callum Willock and eight first-team regulars proved no match for a rampant Town, the Spartan Premier League high fliers handing out a 5-1 massacre to their supposed superiors. By all records too the result somewhat flattered the victims. Leading scorer Bill Healey grabbed a second hat trick in 72 hours as, in addition to the hatful of goals conceded, Hanwell missed one penalty having been denied another, while they had another “goal” disallowed, a goal bound effort kicked off the line and hit the woodwork copious times.

This evening’s game kicks off at 7.45 pm at Champion Hill Stadium, Edgar Kail Way, East Dulwich, London SE22 8BD.

Before the game why not enjoy a drink or snack in our cosy clubhouse with live sport on the big screens, conveniently situated just a short walk from the turnstiles?

ADMISSION PRICES

1. £10 for Adults
2. £4 for Concessions (Seniors - 60+, Under 18s, Unemployed (UB40, Full Time Students and Members of the Armed Forces and Blue Light Services. PLEASE present valid ID)
3. Under 12s FREE accompanied by a paying adult.

Unfortunately, as this is a Cup-tie, season tickets will not be valid tonight. Sorry.

Correct change would be appreciated in order to speed admission. Many thanks!

Programmes: £1.50