Sunday, 26 February 2012

TLFG: 27 February - 4 March 2012

The weather over the last week has been much improved and as such there's been plenty of football action around the capital.

My only match experience of the week was another one laced with disappointment. As a QPR fan these are worrying times indeed. The west London derby against Fulham on Saturday was seen as another 'must win' game but ultimately there was another silly red card and a 1-0 defeat.

I must pay full credit to Fulham's fans who sang throughout and probably cheered louder than any other travelling support when they scored - the match clearly meant a lot to them given the presence of Mark Hughes and Bobby Zamora among the Rangers ranks.

A packed Loftus Road for QPR v Fulham
The hosts actually seemed to play better following the dismissal of debutant Samba Diakite but that was probably because the Cottagers realised they had the job done and eased off - they didn't seem to get out of second gear and comfortably dealt with most of what came their way after the break.

Anyway I don't want to dwell on that, here's what tickets are on general sale for some of the bigger matches that are coming up in London over the coming weeks:

2 June - Belgium 515pm, Wembley, international friendly

12 March - Newcastle United 8pm, Premier League

Nothing currently available

4 March - Wolverhampton Wanderers 205pm, Premier League
17 March - Swansea City 3pm, Premier League
31 March - Norwich City 3pm, Premier League

3 March - Everton 3pm, Premier League

Nothing currently available

With all that in mind, here are this week's match maps:

MIDWEEK MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures



WEEKEND MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures

Please let me know if there are any errors or omissions and always make sure you check with a club on the day whether a match is still taking place.

There are 74 games to choose from in the Greater London area over the next seven days with a number of derbies and cup ties which has made it hard once again to shortlist a top 10 but I'll give it a go anyway. Make sure you add your recommendations in the comments section below if I don't mention your club's match.

TLFG TOP 10

ENGLAND v NETHERLANDS (Wednesday 29 February, 8pm)
The post-Capello era begins on Wednesday night at Wembley when World Cup runners-up Holland pay a visit. Caretaker manager Stuart Pearce has declared himself keen on the job full-time so will be keen to impress as will some of the less experienced players he has called up. The Dutch will bring a star-studded squad so there'll be plenty of talent on show. If you've never been to the national stadium, this is a fine opportunity. Ticket info.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR v MANCHESTER UNITED (Sunday 4 March, 410pm)
Spurs face arguably their two biggest matches of the season on consecutive weekends as the Red Devils roll into N17 a week after the derby against Arsenal at the Emirates. At the time of writing Man Utd are second in the Premier League five points ahead of the third-placed hosts. The form guide suggests there's very little between the teams with Harry Redknapp's team only losing one of their last 10 while the visitors have lost two but won seven, two more than their opponents. It's also important to note that Tottenham have now gone 25 games against United, in all competitions, without winning and lost 3-0 when they last played in August. Tickets: SOLD OUT

MILLWALL v READING (Saturday 3 March, 3pm)
The Lions picked up a fine 3-1 win at Burnley on Saturday to move them six points clear of the relegation zone. On Saturday they welcome the high-flying Royals to the Den who have won their last five to move up to third, only four points behind West Ham. Reading have won eight times away from home this season while Kenny Jackett's side have only won eight times in total all season. An away win looks likely as Brian McDermott looks to take his side into the Premier League. Ticket info.

BARNET v BRADFORD CITY (Tuesday 28 February, 745pm)
After a bit of a resurgence in recent weeks, the Bees have now lost three in a row and are by no means out of the League Two relegation battle. One team they'll really want to beat are former Premier League club Bradford who are just one point and one place below them. When the sides met in August, the Bantams triumphed 4-2 so if this fixture can produce another six goals then most neutrals will be more than happy. Ticket info.

WELLING UNITED v BROMLEY (Saturday 3 March, 3pm)
This weekend two south-east London clubs go head-to-head in the Blue Square Bet South. The two sides have had very contrasting fortunes this season. The Wings are third and look certain to be in the play-offs being some 12 points clear of sixth spot. Bromley, on the other hand, have lost almost half their matches to be just a couple of places above the bottom three. However, Welling shouldn't be complacent as the Lilywhites picked up a fine 1-0 win over fellow promotion hopefuls Chelmsford City on Saturday taking their unbeaten run to five. If this match was at Hayes Lane then an upset could have been in the offing but it's not so the hosts should prevail. Ticket info.

WEALDSTONE v BILLERICAY TOWN (Saturday 3 March, 3pm)
One team enjoying a real buzz are the Stones who are enjoying a fine time at the moment. Over the last week they've notched three wins - putting five past Aveley in a league game before beating both Dartford, with nine men, and Cambridge United in the FA Trophy to reach the semi-finals and are now just 180 minutes away from a Wembley final. In fact they've been doing pretty well in all competitions having lost only once in their last 21 games. However, because of their slow start to the season they're still only 11th in the Ryman League Premier Division but now have games in hand which if won will leave them just a point off the play-off places. If they are to be seen as serious promotion contenders then a win over table toppers Billericay will go a long way to proving it. Don't forget, if you're a Premier/Football League season-ticket holder you'll get in for just £5. Ticket info.

CARSHALTON ATHLETIC v KINGSTONIAN (Saturday 3 March, 3pm)
Neither side are doing remarkably well in the Ryman League Premier Division this season but I've gone for this as it's a south-west London derby. The sides enjoyed contrasting fortunes in this weekend's fixtures with the Robins registering a tidy 2-1 win at struggling Harrow Borough while the Ks came unstuck 0-2 at home to AFC Hornchurch who are trying hard to keep the pressure on their Essex rivals Billericay at the top of the table. When the two met in November a crowd of almost 500 were treated to a five-goal thriller in which Carshalton took the honours 3-2. Ticket info.

DULWICH HAMLET v WORTHING (Saturday 3 March, 3pm)
Two of the Ryman League Division One South's top five meet at Champion Hill on Saturday as the race for promotion hots up. Bognor seem to be pulling away at the top meaning the others will have to fight hard to catch them. A win here could lift Dulwich to second while Worthing could climb to fourth. The previous meeting between the sides saw a 1-0 win for the West Sussex side. This match is also a chance to see two of the division's top scorers, Frankie Sawyer and Ryan McBride, in action. Ticket info.

RAYNES PARK VALE v COLLIERS WOOD UNITED (Tuesday 28 February, 745pm)
Having waited the best part of two months to see these two play on Wednesday (following a series of postponements), supporters of these clubs will see them come up against each other again just six days later in the Combined Counties League Cup. As has been mentioned in previous weeks, these clubs are located only 1.5 miles apart so this is very much a derby. Colliers Wood lost the recent league game 2-1 so will be looking to restore a bit of pride at this early opportunity. Club info.

STAINES LAMMAS v GUERNSEY (Wednesday 29 February, 745pm)
A day later in the same competition, Londoners will get another chance to run the rule over the Green Lions on their latest visit to the capital. If you haven't heard much about the Channel Islands club, this is their first season in English football and they're taking the Combined Counties League Division One by storm. They play good football and score tonnes of goals (an average of four a game) meaning they're 13 points clear with only seven games to go. The Blues shouldn't be totally discounted though as they also harbour hopes of promotion sitting as they do in sixth. The visitors won the league meeting in October by a comfortable 3-1 margin and a repeat looks likely. Club info.

If you have any questions or need advice about watching football in London you can contact TLFG via the comments section below, Facebook, Twitter or email.
Posted by James Doe at 01:12 2 comments

Sunday, 19 February 2012

TLFG: 20-26 February 2012

On Saturday I stepped firmly outside of my London comfort zone and visited part of the capital I had never been to before. When you grow up in the north west of town it's very rare that you find anyone that ever goes to or even knows anything about the south east part of it.

The 'SE' postal district of the city is unique in that most of it is largely untouched by the London Underground which makes it seem, in the minds of the rest of us, that little bit harder to get to and consequently a lot of us don't make the effort.

Combine this with a reputation for being a tough place with high crime rates and prejudices about the area start to build. The train journey out of Charing Cross on a grey day in February don't do it any favours either.

Once you get clear of London Bridge and the shadow of The Shard, you grind your way through Bermondsey and past Millwall's imposing Den. Next up is Lewisham, one of the flashpoints during last summer's riots, before you briefly pitstop at the middle class haven which is Blackheath with its villagey feel and posh coffee shops. Before long you find yourself in Kidbrooke next to the sinister Ferrier Estate - a huge council housing complex that is largely derelict.

Things seem to improve when a landscaped park appears as you reach Eltham, famous for its historic palace, but then you remember this is the neighbourhood where Stephen Lawrence met his end in 1993. A couple of stops further on and you're in Welling where the far-right BNP had its headquarters until the mid '90s. My first vision on arrival here was a group of youths on the other platform talking about how they should've done this that and the other to some rival to only enforce my stereotype of the area.

When I eventually arrived in Barnehurst, things returned to suburban normality.

Of course nothing untoward happened to me on my journey and this part of town is in reality very much like any other. Goodness knows there are plenty of undesirable spots around this side of London too.

So with the travelogue out of the way, where did I actually end up? The answer - Phoenix Sports of the Kent Invicta League (level 10 of the national system). You may remember that I gave them a special mention a couple of weeks ago as being one of only two non-league teams in the capital to put a match on during the big freeze, so I was interested to see their facilities. The lure of reduced admission of only £2 and a 2pm kick-off cemented my match selection.

Phoenix Sports' frost-impervious pitch hosts another game
The Phoenix Sports Ground is a very straightforward mile walk from the station so despite the 90 minutes it had taken me to get there, it was a relatively hassle free journey.

There is a very strong green colour scheme at the club with the kit, clubhouse and tea bar (inside an old shipping container from what I could tell) all coated with it. The pitch is neatly fenced and was in good condition for the time of year.

The opponents on Saturday were Woodstock Park which meant third were playing sixth. Despite a goalless first half, the hosts were the better team and completed a thoroughly deserved 3-0 win thanks to some pretty impressive forward play for a team at this level.

The game contained a few notable non-league howlers too including a superb air-shot on the edge of the area from a Phoenix player referred to by Woodstock's coach as a 'fat ****' and a dreadful shinned clearance by the visitors' captain into his own box which he 'recovered' by hacking down his opponent to concede a penalty.

The best for me though came when a visiting forward blocked a clearance while defending a corner - in order to stop it going out for another one, he raced to the by-line and swivelled to try and hammer it upfield but slipped and ended up sending a fantastic cross into his own penalty area that only narrowly avoided the head of one of the incoming forwards.

Woodstock Park (blue) defend a first-half corner
My only negative of the afternoon was that it drizzled constantly from the moment I got off the train until I got back on it and there is very little cover at the ground so bear this in mind if you decide to pay a visit.

As always, I'll now give you a round-up of what tickets are on general sale for some of the bigger matches that are coming up in London over the next few weeks:

29 February - Netherlands 8pm, Wembley, international friendly

ARSENAL
Nothing currently available

10 March - Stoke City 3pm, Premier League

4 March - Wolverhampton Wanderers 205pm, Premier League
17 March - Swansea City 3pm, Premier League
31 March - Norwich City 3pm, Premier League

3 March - Everton 3pm, Premier League

1 April - Swansea City 4pm, Premier League (on sale 23 Feb)

With the weather for the coming week looking pretty reasonable, I don't foresee a huge amount of postponements unless it gets particularly wet towards the end of it. With this in mind, here are this week's match maps:

MIDWEEK MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures


View London midweek match map 20-24 February 2012 in a larger map
WEEKEND MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures

Please let me know if there are any errors or omissions and always make sure you check with a club on the day whether a match is still taking place.

In total, there are 69 games to look forward to in the Greater London area over the next seven days. A glance through the fixtures shows quite a strong week so creating a shortlist of 10 was quite hard - make sure you add your personal recommendations in the comments section below if I've not chosen yours.

TLFG TOP 10

ARSENAL v TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (Sunday 26 February, 130pm)
Arguably THE London derby of London derbies takes place this week when north London's big two go head-to-head at the Emirates Stadium. Geographically they're not the closest rivals (about four miles apart - Chelsea and Fulham are just 1.5 miles away from each other) but the bitterness is right up there, matched perhaps only by Millwall and West Ham. This season the significance of this fixture is even greater as the Gunners' long dominance over Spurs seems finally to be over with the latter still in the hunt for a domestic double which their opponents simply are not. If Harry Redknapp's side win this they will go 13 points clear of Arsenal and extend their unbeaten run against them in the Premier League to five matches. Tickets: SOLD OUT.

QUEENS PARK RANGERS v FULHAM (Saturday 25 February, 3pm)
Over on the west side of town, the two clubs who live in the shadow of Chelsea scrap to avoid the area's wooden spoon. As it stands, QPR are very much the more likely to end up with it given their position just above the relegation zone while Fulham are sitting comfortably in midtable. When the sides met in October, Rangers were showing the better form but got taken apart by the Cottagers who routed them 6-0. Since then the hosts have upgraded their squad and have purchased striker Bobby Zamora from the SW6 club which will add a bit more spice to the occasion. One other stat of note - QPR haven't beaten Fulham since 1983 so make of that what you will. Tickets: SOLD OUT

WEST HAM UNITED v CRYSTAL PALACE (Saturday 25 February, 1245pm)
Having both taken part in derbies recently, both these sides are now preparing for another one on Saturday. There isn't huge animosity between these two and the fact they've only played each other once since 2004 has probably reduced any potential rivalry even further. The Hammers should be the hungrier to win this as they continue their pursuit of the Championship title while the Eagles' hopes of a play-off spot are still a bit of a long shot despite their 4-0 win over Watford on Saturday. If the teams produce a repeat of the 2-2 draw they put on earlier in the season then we'll be in for a treat. The club are also offering a 'kids for a quid' ticket deal. Ticket info.

MILLWALL v MIDDLESBROUGH (Tuesday 21 February, 745pm)
It's been a bit of an up and down week for the Lions who bowed out of the FA Cup to Premier League Bolton on Saturday but were given some breathing space in their battle against relegation by the deduction of 10 points from administration-afflicted Portsmouth in midweek. This match sees them welcome Middlesbrough who are still very much in the promotion race and could potentially go fourth if they win this. The other point of interest is that because this is a re-arranged game all the ticket prices have been slashed with adult tickets starting at just £12. Ticket info.

CHARLTON ATHLETIC v STEVENAGE (Saturday 25 February, 3pm)
I've just watched Stevenage give Spurs a good workout in Sunday's televised FA Cup game which makes me think this first versus sixth contest in League One should be a cracker. The Addicks consolidated their spot at the top this week with a win against MK Dons and a draw at Tranmere and are very much the team to beat at the moment. Although Stevenage aren't a huge club they're located just to north of London and many will view this as a derby by the division's standards which makes it even more surprising that the south-east London club are charging only £5 to get in. If you fancy a piece of the action here, click on the following link. Ticket info.

WEALDSTONE v DARTFORD (Tuesday 21 February, 745pm)
After seeing this FA Trophy match postponed several times over the last few weeks, the sides eventually met a few days ago and played out an entertaining 2-2 draw, hence this replay. To recap, Dartford are the favourites on paper, playing in the division above, but the Stones very rarely lose and proved more than a match for their opponents. Having already beaten Blue Square Bet Premier side Barrow at Grosvenor Vale in the last round, you could well be tempted to install the hosts as favourites for this one. Ticket info

HAMPTON & RICHMOND BOROUGH v WOKING (Saturday 25 February, 3pm)
Hampton and the rest of the bottom three in the Blue Square Bet South had a disappointing weekend and are starting to lose touch with the rest of the division. The 4-0 drubbing at home midtable Eastleigh will do nothing for their confidence especially with the visit of Woking on the horizon.  The Cards, who play just outside London, are currently 14 points clear at the top of the table having seen off nearest rivals Dartford on Saturday despite playing for 80 minutes with 10 men. In short, this could either be a massacre or one of the upsets of the season. Woking fans also travel in large numbers so there should be a big crowd. Ticket info.

HENDON v LOWESTOFT TOWN (Saturday 25 February, 3pm)
Two of the best sides in the Ryman League Premier Division will be hoping for your support when they meet on Saturday afternoon. As it stands it's fifth versus third although Lowestoft have games in hand which will put them top if they eventually win them. The Greens won at Leatherhead on Saturday while the Trawler Boys could only draw against struggling Tooting & Mitcham. Expect another close contest here. Don't forget that if you're a season-ticket holder at a Premier/Football/Scottish League club then you'll get in for just £5. Ticket info.

COLLIERS WOOD UTD v RAYNES PARK VALE (Wednesday 22 February, 730pm)
This match has been postponed on too many occasions to remember over the last couple of months and the two south-west London rivals will have another go on Wednesday night. Neither side have been lighting up the Combined Counties League Premier Division this season but their close proximity (a little over 1.5 miles) means there'll be plenty of pride at stake. Club info.

SPORTING BENGAL UNITED v LONDON APSA (Saturday 25 February, 3pm)
Last up this week we have this East End derby at the Mile End Stadium. Unlike most teams in the Essex Senior League both these clubs have their roots in the Asian communities of the area. As you may have guessed, the hosts are largely made up of people with their roots in Bangladesh while the visitors have stronger links to Pakistan. Given the historical rivalry between the two countries, this is arguably the biggest match of the season for the clubs and they often get their biggest crowds. Club info.

If you have any questions or need advice about watching football in London you can contact TLFG via the comments section below, Facebook, Twitter or by email. 
Posted by James Doe at 16:38 2 comments

Sunday, 12 February 2012

TLFG: 13-19 February 2012

The flakes had just fallen last time I wrote and although we're nowhere near approaching a 'Winter Wonderland' here in London, the cold weather ended most people's chances of watching some live football.

Consequently I have nothing to talk about in terms of grounds visited or matches seen in this edition of TLFG. Despite this, the blog enjoyed another strong week in terms of traffic as the latest match postponement news proved popular again.

As for all that other stuff about the England manager, I'm not actually that bothered Fabio Capello left. I've always admired the Italian and thought he'd do a great job when he was appointed but his four-year reign has been largely pretty forgettable and the time seemed right for a change.

If you want to see how the national team get on against the Netherlands at Wembley at the end of the month or want ticket details about other big games coming up in London here's what's currently on general sale:

29 February - Netherlands 8pm, Wembley, international friendly

ARSENAL
Nothing currently available

18 February - Birmingham City 1230pm, FA Cup
10 March - Stoke City 3pm, Premier League

4 March - Wolverhampton Wanderers 205pm, Premier League
17 March - Swansea City 3pm, Premier League
31 March - Norwich City 3pm, Premier League

QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Nothing currently available

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Nothing currently available

Again it looks highly likely that there will be a few postponements in the week ahead but here are the match maps to help you find what's on and where:

MIDWEEK MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures



WEEKEND MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

Please let me know if there are any errors or omissions and always make sure you check with a club on the day whether a match is still taking place.

Weather permitting, we've got a healthy amount of 76 games to look forward to over the next seven days. These include fixtures from the fifth round of the FA Cup, a delayed FA Trophy third round match and a couple of FA Youth Cup games which I've thrown in for good measure. 

TLFG TOP 10

Having seen off QPR in a fractious west London derby in round four, Chelsea play host to Championship side Birmingham in the last 16. The hosts are second favourites with the bookies to win the FA Cup this year and are overwhelming favourites to win this one too. City, however, shouldn't be totally written off as they come into this game on the back of an excellent 12-game unbeaten run that has lifted them to third in their division. They also beat Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers in the third round. If this was being played at St Andrew's then the London club's recent unconvincing form could've made them vulnerable but as it's at Stamford Bridge I can only see one winner. Tickets are still on general sale for a flat rate of £30 for adults and  £15 concessions.

Both sides have found this season to be a struggle. The Lions are 20th in the Championship while the Trotters are second from bottom in the Premier League having just suffered a morale crushing home defeat to bottom club Wigan. However, the FA Cup has provided a glimmer of hope as both have enjoyed surprise victories over Southampton and Swansea City respectively. These two haven't played each other for 17 years when Bolton earned a 1-0 win at The Den - I expect this meeting to be equally close. Tickets for this are on general sale at a discounted rate too with adult ones available from £20.

For some reason the football authorities decided that Valentine's Day would be a fine time to schedule a load of games all over the country, potentially causing all kinds of relationship disharmony that may otherwise have been avoided. One of these matches is a barnstormer which pits first versus second in the Championship. The Saints had a good run at the top but had a wobble and now it's the Hammers' turn. Neither team have been overly convincing recently with stuttering results that have left the hosts only a point ahead of their visitors. Southampton edged to a 1-0 win back in October and haven't lost to the east London club since 2001 so the head-to-head record seems to back them. You could be there to see what happens as a few tickets for this are still available too.

The Eagles and Hornets have got to that point of the season where they're virtually only playing for pride with the play-off and relegation places a long way off. That they have achieved this with rookie managers and tight finances is a great achievement and I'd be pretty satisfied if I was a supporter of either. The main reason I've gone for this is because it qualifies as a derby with both sides located within the TLFG catchment area. Although there isn't any great rivalry, there should be a reasonable crowd and competitive spirit. Palace won 2-0 at Vicarage Road earlier in the season and will hope for more of the same here.

This midweek game is another one to whet the appetite as two clubs chasing promotion to the Championship meet at The Valley. The Addicks have been at the top of League One for a long time now and have lost only twice in 18 games (one of those was to Premier League Fulham in the FA Cup). The visitors have also looked impressive on their climb up to fifth and recently should have knocked QPR out of the FA Cup only for poor finishing to let them down. Neither lose many games and the reciprocal fixture in September ended in a 1-1 draw so expect another tight contest here. Ticket deals are available for this match as well - all under 18s get in for £5 while season-ticket holders can take up to two guests for £10 each.

By League Two standards this is a bit of a David against Goliath contest. The Daggers have been battling the drop all season and currently sit just above the relegation places. The Robins, however, are sitting proudly on top of the tree and look destined for a move up to League One. The visitors, however, haven't had it all their own way recently winning only one of their last four including a draw at struggling Hereford on Saturday. This, combined with the fact that Crawley Town are reeling them in quickly, could add to their nerves and make them more vulnerable. 

Freezing weather conditions saw this FA Trophy third round tie postponed three times in a matter of days as the teams tried everything to get it played. Their next attempt will come on Tuesday night with a trip to either Cambridge United or Guiseley awaiting the winners in the quarter-finals. As discussed in a previous blog, both these clubs are on excellent runs that have seen them win far more than they've lost in the Blue Square Bet South and Ryman League Premier Division respectively. The Stones did manage to beat Blue Square Bet Premier team Barrow at home in the previous round but I feel the Darts will have too much for them on this occasion.

Apart from being a TLFG derby, the main reason I've highlighted this Blue Square Bet South game is because the club are allowing everyone in for FREE. Yes you read that right, FREE football at Sutton on Valentine's Day. This match was originally scheduled for New Year's Day but got postponed and the club are offering people the chance to check out their facilities and match day experience with this excellent offer. Strictly speaking, admission is on a 'pay what you want' basis so donations will be gratefully received but the club have been keen to stress that there's no obligation to pay as their marketing for the event shows. If you do take them up on this and don't pay to get in, please at least buy a programme and/or some refreshments - if the night proves to be a success they might do it more often.

By the time this match takes place, the Urchins could be top of the Ryman League. If so, this game against fellow promotion hopefuls Lewes will take on even greater significance. When the sides met at the Dripping Pan back in October, Hornchurch stormed to a 4-0 win. It's a scoreline that could be repeated again as the Rooks have now gone eight games without a win and will find the going tough here.

Finally this week, I'd like to recommend this match between third and fourth in the Ryman League Division One South. I think I'm right in saying that both these clubs have had spells at the top this season but both have drifted a bit recently. In Dulwich's case they've had a couple of games postponed so they will climb back to second, behind Bognor Regis Town, if they win them. With only the top side going up automatically it's crucial for the teams to start winning regularly or they'll be left scrapping in the play-offs.  For those of you who know  nothing about Maidstone, they actually played in what is now League Two from 1989-1992 until they went bust. They are also the club where Manchester United and England defender Chris Smalling began his career.

So that's it for this week. I'll try and keep you updated as and when matches get postponed through TLFG's Facebook and Twitter accounts. If you have any questions or need advice about watching football in London, you can also get in touch via those, using the comments section below or email. 

Posted by James Doe at 15:24 3 comments

Sunday, 5 February 2012

TLFG: 6-12 February 2012

Greetings from snowbound London. As usual, the first bit of wintry weather brought an end to most football in the region with only seven of the weekend's 50 fixtures getting played and this before the snow arrived.

As one non-league player pointed out on Twitter yesterday, there's very little difference between a frozen pitch and a baked one (they're both like concrete) so why do matches get called off in the winter and not the summer? Others have asked whether there should be a winter break as is the case in many European countries but when would you hold it and is the weather really that bad?

Whatever the case, hats off to the groundstaff at Kent Invicta League sides Erith & Dartford Town and Phoenix Sports who were the only non-league clubs in the London area who managed to prepare playable pitches. Even their more senior neighbours at Dartford and Charlton Athletic weren't able to do this.

I spent my Saturday afternoon at Loftus Road watching QPR slump to another disappointing and totally self-inflicted defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers. It was almost a carbon copy of the loss to Norwich City a month ago when a game Rangers appeared to be cruising through was suddenly turned on its head by a needless red card. Djibril Cisse has had some bad injuries in his career so I can understand why he might have been a bit peeved by Roger Johnson's poor challenge but the rules are so clear on this subject that the referee had no choice. Given that the 'retaliation rule' seems to encourage bad tackling, I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often.

My other football experience of the week was gained at Wealdstone on Monday night where I saw them beat Tooting & Mitcham United 2-0. As a follower of Harrow Borough I wouldn't normally go near the place (arch-rivals) but I found myself at a loose end and thought I'd take the club up on their half-price entry offer (just £5) to Premier League and Football League season-ticket holders.

This deal is employed by many clubs on Non-League Day to try and get fans in but it's one that, to my knowledge, was pioneered by the Stones for all their home league matches sometime before NLD and it seems to work. Other local sides like Hayes & Yeading United and Hendon also offer similar incentives as do  Tooting & Mitcham who extend the terms to include armed forces personnel and the unemployed. I applaud all these clubs for such initiatives and wish more, including Harrow, would do the same. It seems essential that as the Premier League gets ever more powerful, smaller clubs will need to adapt and work around their bigger neighbours if they are to survive.

As someone with a soft spot for Harrow Borough, I'm sad to say that the matchday experience at Grosvenor Vale is far superior to that at Earlsmead. Even on a chilly night in January, over 400 turned out to watch a midtable team play one threatened by relegation - I even had to queue to get in, something I haven't had to do at a non-league ground for a while.

Everything from the match posters to the sound system and the general buzz around the place shortly before kick-off were better - and don't get me started on the clubs' websites, the gulf between them is immeasurable. If you were a Premier League season-ticket holder who lived halfway between Harrow Borough and Wealdstone the choice of where to go on a spare Saturday afternoon wouldn't be difficult to make. Hopefully the Boro will up their game soon or they will get totally left behind.

At TLFG we'd be interested to hear your thoughts on any of the topics above so please share your views in the comments section below, on our Facebook page, via Twitter or even email.

Before I get on to the latest ticket news I'd just like to say a general thank you to everyone who continues to read this blog. This week TLFG had its highest traffic since launching in October. Our efforts to get up to date  match postponement information on Saturday seems to have gone down particularly well while I'd also like to give a mention to the Swedish blog about British football 'The Langham Court' which referred a lot of readers our way.

As mentioned, here's the latest on tickets that are on general sale for some of the big games coming up in the capital:

29 February - Netherlands 8pm, Wembley, international friendly

Nothing currently available

Nothing currently available

11 February - Stoke City 3pm, Premier League
4 March - Wolverhampton Wanderers 205pm, Premier League (on sale 7 Feb)
17 March - Swansea City 3pm, Premier League (on sale 7 Feb)
31 March - Norwich City 3pm, Premier League (on sale 9 Feb)

25 February - Fulham 3pm, Premier League

Nothing currently available

With considerable amounts of snow on the ground, many of this week's games could get called off but here are the match maps anyway:

MIDWEEK MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

Please let me know if there are any errors or omissions and always make sure you check with a club on the day whether a match is still taking place.

There are only 58 games between now and next Sunday and this could well fall far lower if the cold snap persists. Here's my pick of a few games that I think are worth a mention.

TLFG TOP 10

Although 10 points apart in the Premier League table, both these sides still hold realistic ambitions of qualifying for next season's Champions League. In the case of Spurs it looks a formality while the Magpies will only be a win away from drawing level with fourth-placed Chelsea at the time of writing. The form guide and in particular the Toon Army's faltering run in recent weeks (losing six of their last 10) would suggest a home win. If the sides repeat the 2-2 draw from earlier in the season then I'm sure most neutrals will be happy.

The Bees, under manager Lawrie Sanchez, have shown a real improvement over the last few weeks. Six wins in their last 10 matches have lifted them to the heady heights of 17th in League Two some nine points above the relegation zone. On Saturday they welcome Paolo Di Canio's in-form Robins who sit nicely in third and ready to push on in their hunt for promotion. For an indicator of what to expect, check how the sides get on when they meet on Tuesday night at the County Ground in the second leg of their Johnstone's Paint Trophy Southern Area final - the winners will be going to Wembley.

If relegation scraps are your idea of fun make sure you head to Victoria Road on Saturday. This League Two game is a real 'six-pointer' with the Daggers just above the relegation zone, three points ahead of the Cobblers who are bottom. Form would again suggest that the hosts will edge this but the visitors came out on top earlier in the season when they won 2-1 at Sixfields. Not one for the purists amongst you.

Having seen their FA Trophy tie against Wealdstone frozen off on Saturday and moved to Tuesday (7 Feb), the Darts now have a very big week ahead of them. With that game out of the way, they'll then return to league duties where they'll face fellow Blue Square Bet South promotion chasers Sutton at Princes Park. The Us' high standards have slipped a bit recently but they're still fifth while Dartford seem almost untouchable winning their last seven in all competitions to lie second. Another win will be required here if they're to stand any chance of reeling in leaders Woking and avoiding the play-offs.

At the other end of the Blue Square Bet South table we have these other two former Ryman League clubs fighting to stay up. After a reasonable start, the Lilywhites have had a dreadful run of results that has seen them plummet down the table. Having only won one of their last 17 games in all competitions, it's a wonder they are still above the relegation zone. Encouragingly for them, their last victory was in their most recent game when they triumphed 3-0 at Weston-Super-Mare. The Swans by comparison seem to have been in the bottom three all season  despite picking up the odd good result. If they win their midweek match against Tonbridge they will start this game above Bromley but only by one point.

Two current Ryman League teams with ambitions of replacing the clubs above in the Blue Square Bet South meet in this match at Vale Farm the same day. The Greens topped the table earlier in the season and are still very much in the hunt for one of the four play-off places. Having won three of their last four league games, they are building a nice bit of momentum but so have the visitors who are just two points behind. Both these sides are doing well despite not having grounds of their own so go and give them a cheer if you're in the Sudbury area of north-west London on Saturday and remember that the special deal for season-ticket holders of other clubs applies for this game.

It's 745pm, it's the 10 February, it's time for Friday Night Football. This time it's the good people of Aveley in Essex, right on the TLFG border, that hope you'll pay them a visit. Apparently this derby match between the struggling Millers and table topping Billericay has been organised as part of a Ryman League 'experiment'. I presume it's to try and attract more people through the gate by playing at a less traditional time, something I believe has to happen for clubs at this level to survive. There doesn't seem to be any special deal in place to support this but there's plenty at stake for both sides and a big crowd is expected.

Urban south-east London meets rural Suffolk in this Ryman League Division One North culture clash on Saturday afternoon. I've gone for this match primarily because it gives you the chance to check out the visitors who are currently top of the table having won 18 of their 28 games. Whether midtable Thamesmead can trip them up and do fellow TLFG side and second placed Enfield Town a favour remains to be seen but they did take Blue Square Bet South club Welling United to a replay in the FA Trophy earlier in the season.

Another game in the TLFG border lands to catch my eye this week takes place in the deep south or east Surrey as I believe it's technically known. These local rivals play in the Ryman League Division One South where neither have done spectacularly well this season - the hosts are seventh but eight points off a play-off spot while the Leafe are effectively bottom following the recent sad demise of Croydon Athletic. Not the most mouthwatering build up I grant you but it is a derby so there will at least be pride at stake.

If you're in east London on Saturday afternoon get yourself down to the Mile End Stadium where the locals play host to the Essex Senior League leaders. United are playing in this league for the first time after their move from the Kent League and are holding their own but Witham will provide a stern test as they look to push clear of Southend Manor who they currently share the lead with. 

I'd also like to give a special mention this week to Bethnal Green United who are the only TLFG team remaining in the FA Vase. The competition is now down to the last 16 stage and the east London side have a daunting and lengthy trip to Northern League side Dunston UTS in Gateshead (effectively Newcastle to us ignorant Londoners). They've never been this far so all the best to them in their quest to get to Wembley.

If you think any other games are worth a mention, your club are offering a special ticket deal or you simply want to tell us where you've been or where you're going then post the details in the comments section below.

Posted by James Doe at 13:05 10 comments
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