On Tuesday, October 20th, Hampton & Richmond Borough travel to face Hayes & Yeading United in the second round of the Middlesex Senior Cup.
It has been a turbulent week for the Beavers both on and off the pitch. The club parted ways with manager Alan Dowson by mutual consent on October 12th, following a tough start to the season that leaves HRBFC sitting 22nd in the National League South table after ten games.
Max Kretzschmar and Craig Saunders have stepped up to take charge of first-team affairs during the interim period, with guidance from the experienced Lennie Lawrence as the club searches for a permanent appointment. Tuesday's cup tie offers a welcome opportunity for a reset and a chance to lift spirits.
Hayes & Yeading United play in the Isthmian League South Central Division at Step 4. They come into the game off the back of a strong run, including a 3-2 win over Kingstonian last time out, and sit mid-table with two wins, three draws, and two defeats from their opening seven league fixtures.
Former Beaver Gianni Crichlow is turning out for tonight’s opponents. The winger made eleven league appearances in the 24/25 season during his time at Beveree, scoring a goal and assisting another.
The Middlesex Senior Cup carries real history for Hampton & Richmond Borough. We have won the competition five times, most recently in 2016/17 when we beat Wealdstone 1-0 in a final delayed until July 25th, 2017 at The Beveree—with Max Kretzschmar scoring the winning goal in the 43rd minute.
However, our recent record in this tournament has been a source of frustration, failing to progress past the second round in each of the last four seasons.
Our last win in this competition came in the 2021/22 season, a 4-0 quarter-final victory over Spelthorne Sports (before falling 1-0 to Brentford B in the semi-finals). That Spelthorne game is best remembered for Zach Robinson breaking the club record for the fastest goal ever scored—netting after just 13 seconds to beat Jesse Kewley-Graham's previous 17-second record.
With a tough week behind us, Tuesday night presents a chance to put a smile back on the squad's faces and build some momentum under our interim management team. There is an expectation that a strong team will be named and many of the new additions will have their first involvement in a Hampton shirt!
Let's get behind the lads and kickstart a positive run. Up the Beavers!
We return to Beveree this Saturday against Truro City. Secure your tickets for that one HERE!
By Joel Moore