Saturday 17 August, Bob Lucas Stadium, 15.00PM BST
Our chance to bounce back from our opening-day loss in Kent takes place today against Hertfordshire outfit Hemel Hempstead Town.
The Tudors are also looking for their first crown in glory this season, having drawn their opener at home to league newcomers Salisbury.
Much like our Tonbridge tussle, this side also engaged in a spirited showdown, coming back from two goals down to earn themselves a point in the final 15 minutes.
Entertaining games are certainly not lost in this fixture, either; our 4-3 blockbuster last campaign is a contest that will surely live in memory amongst us all.
HOW TO FOLLOW…
Today’s 3pm kick-off will be broadcast HERE online.
You can follow the action via our social media channels. Footage and exclusive reaction will also be uploaded online after the final whistle.
THE OPPOSITION…
Founded in 1885, the appropriately-named Tudors are one of the league’s oldest clubs.
Impressively, only two other sixth-tier teams, Chelmsford City and Chippenham Town, had been established beforehand.
The Hertfordshire outfit have undergone several name changes during their lengthy existence, starting out as Apsley End before rebranding as Hemel Hempstead Town in 1955.
They then changed their name to Hemel Hempstead Football Club after merging with Hemel Hempstead United in 1971, before settling on Hemel Hempstead Town once again 25 years ago.
The origin of their nickname is a fascinating one; a certain King Henry VIII granted the town to become a bailiwick in 1539.
He also gave permission for a Thursday market, as well as a fair on Corpus Christi Day, to be held there.
Their football journey has also been interesting, embarking on a slow but steady journey through the football leagues to earn themselves a place in England’s sixth tier for the first time 10 years ago.
Their first few years in the National League South were sprinkled with success, their fifth-placed earning themselves a place in the play-offs at the end of the 2017/18 season.
Their goalless, qualifying-round battle with Braintree Town lasted two hours, before their penalty shootout reached sudden death…
Their chance, though, to put themselves in the play-off final was ultimately squandered as The Iron dealt them a fatal blow.
Since then, The Tudors have failed to crown themselves in glory, slowly sliding down the table season by season.
Their gradual descent culminated in a 20th-placed finish at the end of last campaign, one place above the drop zone…
However, a huge shake-up at the club, which includes 17 summer additions, shows that they are not messing around.
One of their new players is rampant right-back Teddy Howe, whose ever-presence in our side last season allowed a fruitful partnership with Brandon Goodship to blossom.
His assisting ability, however, this time round, will have to be shut out by the mighty Terras, rather than encouraged…
PREVIOUS RESULTS…
If there is any result that defines this fixture, it will be the most recent one.
The visitors looked to be heading back to Hertfordshire with three points, before Goodship’s equaliser put us level with five minutes to go, the scoreline being at three goals apiece.
Keelan O’Connell was slotted through by Ezio Touray at the death, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The game itself, given our recent outings, was perhaps expected, with the last three fixtures between the sides resulting in at least four goals.
Our overall record versus today’s opponents is something of a mixed bag; our equal six wins and losses suggest this isn’t always the enjoyable fixture that that last season suggests.
Though, with Hertfordshire teams being winless in their last five visits to the Bob Lucas Stadium, word on the street is that our ground is slowly but surely becoming a fortress.
In the past, we may have looked to the Stuarts for inspiration on how to put an end to the Tudors.
However, recent times suggest that we may not need help starting our dynasty…
