TROPHY FOOTBALL AT THE END OF THE DISTRICT LINE

 It's FA Trophy time 

and as usual there is a number of ex-League clubs hoping to revive their fans memories of "silverware".

The draw has been made and the two semi-finals to be played on March 27th (hint hint my birthday) include: 

Hereford v Woking and Notts County v AFC Hornchurch, bringing together a couple of ex-FLeague clubs and Woking who have been famous for their Cup history (remember Tim Buzaglio?) and the less well known AFC Hornchurch, from Essex.

In the Quarter-finals, Hereford beat Aldershot away 1-1 (3-5 on pens): Hornchurch beat Darlington 1-2 away: Notts County beat Oxford City 3-1 at home; Woking beat Torquay 1-0 at home.

Clubs that lost in the 5th Rd: Leamington away lost to Hereford 1-0: Aldershot beat Solihill Moors 3-2: Hornchurch beat Maidstone 5-4: Darlington beat Wealdstone 4-1: Notts County beat Havant and Waterlooville 2-2 (2-4pens): Woking beat Sutton Utd at home 1-0:Torquay away beat Southport 2-0: Oxford City at home beat Peterborough Sports 2-0.

AFC Hornchurch, from the Isthmian League, was founded in 1923 (important Cup date??)  They were founded as Upminster Wanderers and is sited in the "Hammers" Heartland-indeed David Sullivan (WHU chair) comes from the town. Like all clubs there have been ups and downs. Their first season in the Conference South saw them reach the FA Cup first round again. However, shortly before the match the entire squad was released due to financial problems. The club carried on with several debutants and youth players and the team lost the match against Boston Utd 5–2, and subsequently, the club folded in 2003-4. It was reformed as AFC Hornchurch, starting again in the Essex Senior League. It's been up since then. By 2018-19 the club was in the Conference Premier, known as Hornchurch FC and have been up and down, now in the Isthmian Premier.

Their best FA Cup performance so far, was in 2003-4 when in the First Round proper, they beat Darlington from the FL 3rd division 2-0 and then lost to Tranmere Rovers 0-1 in Round 2. Does anyone know why "The Urchins"? apart from the East End chatter........