Monday, 4 December 2023

TLFG: 4-10 December 2023

Welcome to this week's edition of TLFG.

It seems my visit to QPR's new training ground and meeting new manager Marti Cifuentes made a huge impact as the side went on to win two games in three days.

On Tuesday they beat Stoke City 4-2 at Loftus Road and then they travelled north to Preston on Friday where they won 2-0.

Although still in the bottom three, confidence now appears to be high and the gap to safety is now down to four points.

This weekend they face a home game against a decent Hull City side who are chasing a play-off place so it will be interesting to see if the recovery continues.

Tickets for Palace v Bournemouth are on sale to non-members

The same night QPR beat Preston, thousands of fans were treated to a thrilling game at Wembley where England's women came from 2-0 down to beat the Netherlands 3-2.

Sadly it doesn't look like being enough to qualify for the Olympics but there's still an outside chance.

My other two clubs, Harrow Borough and Actonians, had their matches postponed or abandoned so I had a pretty quiet weekend.

As it turns out, my whole week was pretty quiet - norovirus ripped through all the inhabitants of TLFG Towers so I didn't actually get into work until Friday.

It was great to hear from long-time reader Christoph B from Freiburg in Germany. He's coming with some friends to watch his beloved Breisgau-Brasilianer play West Ham in the Europa League next week.

They're going to be here for several days and will watch several games, including QPR, and do some tours one of which I'm planning to go on - more on that soon.

As for this week, hopefully I'll get to a game at some point as I have some days off but we'll see.

Lastly, many thanks this week to Kelvin W from Ealing for his kind donation to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund - he's been reading and supporting this blog for many years, something I'm hugely appreciative of.

THE WEEK AHEAD

This week we've got matches in the Premier League, EFL, National League, FA Trophy, Women's Super League and Women's FA Cup as well as all the other non-league and women's competitions which our local clubs compete in.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.


Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.
Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Monday fixtures - yellow pin
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin



WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin


    
TLFG DAILY DIGEST
In the following section, I list what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 4 December

FA Cup Second Round
AFC Wimbledon v Ramsgate @745pm - delayed from the weekend for live TV coverage, the final tie of the round takes place at Plough Lane. The Dons famously upset the mighty Liverpool to win the trophy in 1988 in what I often cite as being my favourite ever final. A hell of a lot has happened in the intervening 35 years but to suffice to say, the south London club aren't the force they once were. Now in League Two, they should still start as strong favourites against an Isthmian League side who play four levels below them. Tickets

Professional Development League
QPR v Charlton Athletic @7pm - on the west side of town, this U21 match at Hanwell Town should provide a decent value night out. The R's are a point ahead of Bournemouth at the top of the table and should beat an Addicks side who are 15 points behind in eighth

National League South
Aveley v Welling United @745pm - the Millers were flying and applying genuine pressure to leaders Yeovil in what looked like becoming a title race. However, they've now gone five without a win and are down to fourth. The gap between themselves and top spot is now eight points so it's not insurmountable but they'll have to start winning soon. The Wings, on the other hand, are in the relegation zone. With seven points from five games, their form is currently better than any of the other strugglers so they might just get something here

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Tuesday 5 December

FA Youth Cup Third Round
Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur @7pm - the Third Round, when all the big clubs' academy sides enter the draw, gets underway this week. Although both these clubs are in the Premier League, their U18 sides play at wildly different levels. Whilst Spurs are currently top the U18 Premier League South, the Bees play in a regional group of the EFL Youth Alliance League, which is something like the third tier, and they're not doing too well either. On paper this looks like a comfortable away win. Interestingly for groundhoppers, this is being played at Brentford's new facility in Staines so if you haven't been already, now's your chance. Previous games here have required you to buy tickets in advance so I presume it will be the case for this one too - do not turn up without one!
Millwall v Barking @7pm - the Blues' youngsters have produced the story of the competition so far. Entering in the Preliminary Round, they've beaten Great Wakering Rovers, Billericay Town, Dagenham & Redbridge, Stanway Rovers, Kingstonian and MK Dons and now find themselves competing against the biggest clubs in the land. Representing a ninth-tier club, they are the lowest-ranked side left in the draw. Although it's not Old Trafford or the Emirates, a trip to the The Den is still a fantastic opportunity and who knows what could happen? Tickets

National League South
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Braintree Town @745pm - with Aveley faltering, the Beavers have taken full advantage. Now unbeaten in 10 games, winning nine of those, the south-west London club are up to second and catching leaders Yeovil. Essex club Braintree slipped out of the play-off places on Saturday after seeing their match against Weymouth get frozen off 

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Wednesday 6 December

Premier League
Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth @730pm - Roy Hodgson's side managed a 1-1 draw at West Ham on Sunday but that means they've now won only one of their last six. Still well clear of the relegation zone, they face a side below them who are in much better form after a ropey start. The Cherries have taken 10 points from their last five games and were robbed of a win over Aston Villa by a last-minute equaliser on Sunday. Palace are unbeaten in six against Bournemouth but that run could come to an end here. It's highly unusual for tickets for Premier League games at Selhurst Park to go on sale to non-members but this one has so don't miss out
Fulham v Nottingham Forest @730pm - with three minutes to go of Sunday's game, the Cottagers led 3-2 against Liverpool at Anfield. Sadly, a late collapse saw them lose 4-3 to leave them 14th in the table. Forest lost 1-0 at home to Everton to remain just behind Fulham in the table. To me, this has draw written all over it. Tickets do appear to be available to non-members 

Premier League International Cup
Crystal Palace v Benfica @7pm - the Eagles made it to the final of this U21 competition last season. As it stands, the south London club are in a qualifying position for the next round whilst Benfica have a bit of catching up to do after drawing their opening game at Liverpool 1-1. This match is being played at Sutton United. Tickets

Essex Senior League
Woodford Town v Barking @745pm - with only one win from their last five games in all competitions, the hosts' great early-season form seems to have left them. Still third and with a game in hand on the leaders, all is not lost but an uplift in results is required. The Blues are coasting along nicely enough in midtable with a play-off push probably now the aim

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Thursday 7 December

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United @815pm - Spurs came from behind to snatch a point after a thrilling 3-3 draw at Manchester City on Sunday. The result left them in fifth and allowed arch rivals Arsenal to open a three-point lead at the top. The Hammers drew 1-1 with Palace to stay in the top half but they'll have to do a lot better to get anything out of this one. Spurs are unbeaten in five at home against West Ham. Tickets are not available to non-members but hospitality packages are available from £399

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Friday 8 December

Premier League Cup
Fulham v Brentford @7pm - there's a west London derby to be enjoyed at Motspur Park on Friday night. The Cottagers are currently third in the PL2 South which should indicate that they're one of the best sides in the country at this level. How good the Bees are is hard to gauge as they don't play in a league. However, last season, they won this competition and beat Fulham 2-1 in the semi-finals at this venue so they must know what they're doing! Admission is usually around £3 on the gate

FA Youth Cup Third Round
West Ham United v Southampton @7pm - the Hammers thrashed Arsenal 5-1 at the Emirates in last year's final in front of nearly 35,000 fans. They begin the defence of their title at home to the Saints who they also trounced 6-1 in the semi-final at London Stadium. As you can obviously see, West Ham's youngsters are really good and they look to have another good crop on their hands this year too. This is being played the club's Rush Green training facility and you can usually pay on the gate 

ECL Division 1 South
Cannons Wood v Clapton CFC @745pm - the non-league match of the night would appear to be this 10th-tier game between two of the title contenders. I think I'm right in saying that both sides have occupied top spot at some point this season. It's actually quite hard to decide who the best team is at the moment as some in the top six have played 24 games and others only 19. This match is being played at Aveley
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Saturday 9 December

Premier League
Crystal Palace v Liverpool @1230pm - the only Premier League game in London on Saturday takes place at Selhurst Park. Roy Hodgson's side are on a bit of a sticky run at the moment, with the midweek defeat to Bournemouth extending their winless run to four games. By contrast, the Reds are motoring along with only one defeat from their last 13 games in all competitions. Up to second in the league and only two points behind Arsenal, they will go top for at least a few hours if they win here. Tickets are not available to non-members

Championship
QPR v Hull City @3pm - after back-to-back wins under new manager Marti Cifuentes, the R's are a totally different prospect to the one of a few weeks ago. Still in the bottom three, they have plenty to do but they now look a much tougher side to play against. Hull have had a good season under another bright young coach. Former Fulham and Brighton player Liam Rosenior has done a great job since taking over a year ago and they're currently in the top six. This could be quite a decent game. Tickets
Watford v Southampton @3pm - with 10 points from their last five games, the Hornets are enjoying a bit of a recovery. Winning 2-1 at Hull in their last match, Valerian Ismael's side are up to 10th and could move level with the Tigers if results go their way on Saturday. The Saints came down from the Premier League last season and struggled to begin with. However, they've now found their feet, are in the top four and are joint top of the form table with Leeds. If you can't get a ticket for Palace, then it appears you have a couple of very good Championship alternatives. Tickets

League One
Charlton Athletic v Cambridge United @3pm - despite going four games without defeat, the Addicks are still stuck in the midtable doldrums - 10 points clear of the relegation zone but still seven points adrift of the play-off places. With a place in the top six their clear aim, they need to be winning this game against a Cambridge side who are out of form and too close to the bottom four for comfort. Tickets
Leyton Orient v Derby County @3pm - with only four points from their last six games, the O's have hit a bad patch. Down in 16th, they could really do with a win soon. Sadly, it looks unlikely to come here as Derby have won five of their last six games and are in the play-off places. Interestingly, this will be the first match between the sides since 1985 when they fought out a 2-2 draw at Brisbane Road in a league game. Tickets

League Two
AFC Wimbledon v Swindon Town @3pm - following their 5-0 demolition of non-league Ramsgate in the FA Cup on Monday, the Dons return to league action on Saturday. Sitting 10th in the fourth tier, they're well placed for a play-off push but so are Swindon who are just two points above them. Beating the Wiltshire club would be a real statement of intent and put them firmly among the contenders. Tickets
Sutton United v Harrogate Town @3pm - unbeaten in five games, the U's have tightened things up a lot. However, they're drawing games not winning them and as a result they're still bottom. However, they are still only four points adrift so it's not a lost cause by any means. Harrogate are cruising along in midtable and look likely to stay there. Tickets

FA Trophy Third Round
This competition for clubs in the fifth to eighth tiers, with its final at Wembley, is down to its last 64 teams. At this stage, all the clubs in the fifth tier enter the draw. There are several ties in London, here are my picks:

Barnet v Maidstone United @3pm - the Bees are on a poor run of four consecutive defeats which has put a huge dent in their title challenge. Now third in the table and 11 points behind the leaders, hanging on to a play-off place would now seem to be the priority. Last season Barnet made the play-offs and the semi-finals of the Trophy but ended up with nothing - they'll be hoping that doesn't happen again. Maidstone made the headlines last weekend by beating Barrow to make it to the FA Cup Third Round where they'll host Port Vale or Stevenage. The Kent club play in the division below Barnet but they're second and could make things difficult for the north London side
Hendon v Weymouth @3pm - a short distance to the south of The Hive, the Greens are also in action in the Trophy. A seventh-tier side, they've done well to get this far, picking up the scalps of AFC Sudbury, Walton & Hersham and Eastbourne Borough. The latter play at the same level as Weymouth so Lee Allinson's side have every chance of causing another upset
Welling United v Brackley Town @3pm - the Wings are in the sixth tier's bottom four but they're in reasonable form. On Saturday they welcome a side from the parallel NLN who won the Trophy in 2018. Up in fourth in their division, they will start as favourites at Park View Road

National League South
Dartford v Yeovil Town @3pm - not a million miles from Welling, the Darts are preparing for possibly their biggest game of the season as former Championship club Yeovil come to town. The Somerset outfit have had a spectacularly bad decade and find themselves back in the sixth tier for what I believe is the first time since 1997. Despite this dramatic fall, they're giving this season a really good go and are six points clear at the top with a game in hand

Southern League Premier South
Walton & Hersham v Salisbury @3pm - the Swans have been among the frontrunners in the seventh tier all season but a sudden dip in form has seen them lose four in a row. This has seen them slip to eighth but they do have two or three games in hand on most of those above them. Salisbury are only being kept off the top by goal difference and they have a game in hand on leaders Chesham so this could be quite a battle

Isthmian League South Central
Hanworth Villa v Marlow @3pm - the hosts made the play-offs after fantastic winning run towards the end of the season. They're going to need to something similar this time as although they're seventh, the leading back are already breaking away. Seven points adrift of the play-offs, they badly need to beat Marlow who are fourth but have the games in hand to be top

CCL Premier North
Rayners Lane v Milton United @3pm - in the ninth tier, it's first versus third at Tithe Farm. Once again it's worth remembering that Rayners Lane had a chaotic summer following their promotion and everything looked like it would fall apart. However, the new management team pulled things together and with, I believe, an increased budget have recruited a decent squad. Currently top, but only on goal difference, they can't afford many slip ups if they want to stay in the title race

CCL Division 1
Langley v Yateley United @3pm - two of the top five meet at Honeycroft which is Langley's new home for this season. The Merry Makers finished fifth last season and they look quite capable of at least matching that this year. Yateley are currently fifth but have games in hand on all of those above them

FA Youth Cup Third Round
Arsenal v Crewe Alexandra @530pm - if youth football's more your thing then the Gunners, last season's beaten finalists, entertain Crewe at Boreham Wood's ground. The late kick-off means you should be able to combine it with the game between London Lions and Tring Athletic which takes place at nearby Rowley Lane
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Sunday 10 December

Premier League
Fulham v West Ham United @2pm - the day's top-flight action gets underway at Craven Cottage. Marco Silva's side pulled off an unexpected 5-0 drubbing of Nottingham Forest on Wednesday to really boost spirits. Next up they face a crosstown derby against the Hammers who extended their unbeaten run to six games with a fine 2-1 win at Spurs on Thursday. Talking of six games, that's how long their unbeaten run is against Fulham too. I'm fairly confident they'll be able to make it seven here. Tickets are only available to those with a previous Fulham booking history
Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United @430pm - both these sides suffered disappointing nights on Thursday - Spurs lost the aforementioned game to West Ham while the Magpies came unstuck at Everton. Ange Postecoglu's side were top not that long ago but recent results mean they're now in worse form than bottom club Sheffield United and surely out of the title race. Newcastle were looking like a good bet for a top-four finish but two defeats in their last four have made those predictions look a bit shaky. Eddie Howe's team did the double over Tottenham last season, scoring eight goals in the process, but I think a draw looks more likely this time. Tickets are only available to members whilst hospitality packages are available from £299

Women's Super League
Arsenal v Chelsea @1230pm - there's also a massive game at the Emirates where the top two in the WSL meet for a game that could go a long way to deciding who wins the title. The Blues are the reigning champions and currently top, three points ahead of the Gunners. With every point absolutely crucial in this division, a loss for Arsenal would leave them with an almost insurmountable six-point deficit to make up. Almost 60,000 tickets have already been sold so don't delay if you want to snaffle one of the last ones
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United @645pm - although there's also a WSL game at West Ham at 2pm, the late kick-off here means you can combine it with pretty much any other game taking place on Sunday (except the men's game at Spurs - oh the irony). Being played at Leyton Orient, a much improved Tottenham side could break into the top five with a win. Tickets

Women's FA Cup Third Round
Unlike the men's competition, only second-tier clubs join the draw in this round. There are two ties in London, with the winners of each one receiving £35,000 and the losers £9,000 - a significant sum for many clubs at this level

Crystal Palace v Chatham Town @1pm - the Eagles are fourth in the Championship but they'll go top if they win their game in hand. Therefore, they are without question one of the strongest teams in the Third Round. Chatham are struggling at the level below them so will start as underdogs. This match is being played at Sutton United. Tickets
London City Lionesses v Billericay Town @1pm - it's a similar tale at Princes Park where a second tier club hosts one from the third. The gulf between the two is probably not as big as for the match above but LCL should still be expected to go through. Tickets

Isthmian League Premier
Cray Wanderers v Haringey Borough @3pm - if you'd prefer a men's non-league game then head to Bromley where London's oldest club take on bottom side Haringey in a relegation six-pointer. At the time of writing on Thursday, Cray sit just above the relegation zone on goal difference so a win would take a bit of pressure off

FA Vase Third Round
Hilltop v Hamble Club @3pm - after seeing this tie postponed last weekend, these clubs will try again on Sunday. These two midtable teams from parallel ninth-tier divisions should put on a competitive display. Whatever the weather this weekend, this should go ahead as it's been moved to Bedfont Sports who have a 3G pitch


GET INVOLVED
If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've  been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP? 
Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below, via X/Twitter or even by good old email.

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here 

Sunday, 26 November 2023

TLFG: 27 November - 3 December 2023

Another month is coming to an end and the match-packed festive period is starting to appear on the horizon. 

How was your week?

On Wednesday I had the honour of being invited to QPR's sparkling new training ground at Heston to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Tiger Cubs, the R's club for young people with Down's syndrome.

If you've been reading this blog for several years, you might remember that a friend (Chris Charles) and I set up an annual sponsored walk for the TC's back in 2010.

Over the years, the team have walked to away games at Arsenal, Charlton Athletic, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Watford and West Ham United.

Chris and I with a couple of the QPR Tiger Cubs at Heston

In more recent years, the walks have often ended up taking us to Loftus Road for a home game - heading in from the old training ground at Harlington or last year doing a walk around all the club's old grounds in north-west London.

In total, the walkers have raised £155,000 for the TC's which has allowed the club to not only keep going but now operate at three locations around London.   

After being given a tour of all the new facilities, Chris and I were among those to give a brief speech, before the celebrations got fully underway - I even got to meet new manager Marti Cifuentes.

The plan is to walk to another home game from Heston in April, Sky TV permitting!

As for watching some football, I headed down to Gunnersbury Park on Sunday to watch Actonians Reserves in action again.

Today's visitors were title challengers Denham United who had thrashed a depleted A's side 4-1 on the opening day of the season in the reverse fixture.

Far from being depleted again, the side was boosted by the presence of four first-team players (as they didn't have a game), and several more offering support from the sidelines.

It ended up being a really good game.

Actonians dominated for long periods but some stunning goalkeeping from Zara Butt and some wasteful finishing meant the first half ended goalless.

The hosts managed to break the deadlock early in the second half when the aforementioned Butt made a total mess of Rosie Hay's free-kick.

I'm not quite sure what happened but she seemed to get disorientated and it somehow hit the post and went in.

The chances continued to come but Butt redeemed herself with some more great saves and then Denham equalised.

Captain Annie Hewitt drove forward from midfield before lashing an unstoppable effort in off the bar to draw them level with just over 20 minutes to go.

Donkey Lane is the place to be on Tuesday

Thankfully, the A's heads didn't drop and a smart move was clinically finished low into the bottom corner by top scorer Katy Hanscomb soon after.

It turned out to be the winning goal and saw Actonians hold on to third for another week.

Looking forward now, one of the matches of the week for me, takes place at the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium in north London on Tuesday night where Enfield Town dip their toes into European football.

Yes, that's right, the seventh tier Isthmian League Towners will be welcoming Danish club BK Skjold for their opening group game in the FENIX Trophy.   

I've written more about this in the match preview below but it should be quite a moment for the north London club and I wish I could be there but alas I'm working.

Work means I won't get to any games this week but I hope you do, so have a great one.     

THE WEEK AHEAD

This week we've got matches in the Champions League, Premier League, EFL, National League, FA Vase, FENIX Trophy, Women's National League as well as all the other non-league and women's competitions which our local clubs compete in.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.


Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.
Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Monday fixtures - yellow pin
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin



WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin


    
TLFG DAILY DIGEST
In the following section, I list what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 27 November

Premier League
Fulham v Wolverhampton Wanderers @8pm - the week begins with another helping of top-flight action on the banks of the Thames. The Cottagers are now four without a win and down in the bottom six. They could really do with three points and Wolves, who sit three points above them in the table, are the sort of team they need to be beating. Unusually for Premier League games, tickets are available so don't miss your chance!

Professional Development League
Charlton Athletic v Cardiff City @2pm - earlier in the day, we have this U21 game at Dartford's ground. Neither team are having a particularly great season but the hosts should start as favourites

EAL Senior Division Cup First Round
Lymore Gardens v FC Petrocub @745pm - the only other senior match of the day is this tie in an 11th tier cup competition. The sides are currently sixth and seventh in the EAL's top division. The match is being played at Haringey Borough

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Tuesday 28 November

Championship
QPR v Stoke City @745pm - the R's suffered their first defeat under new boss Marti Cifuentes at Norwich on Saturday despite dominating possession. Three games into his reign, the best the Catalan boss has so far managed is a draw so they badly need a win to start climbing the table. Although the Potters are only in 16th, they're tough to beat with only one loss in their last five and are also unbeaten in three at Loftus Road. Tickets
Watford v Norwich City @8pm - these two have spent most of the last few years yo-yoing between the top two divisions. However, that habit seems to be coming to an end as neither of them went up last season and both are well down the table at the time of writing. Two points apart in the table, the Canaries come into this on the back of two wins so they're in marginally better form. Tickets

League One
Charlton Athletic v Cheltenham Town @745pm - the Addicks made the 600-mile round trip to Carlisle on Saturday and came back with a point after a 1-1 draw, a result which lifted them to 10th. The visitors had an horrific start to the season, playing 15 games before finally winning one. They've now found their mojo, taking 10 points from their last five games, so they're far more dangerous opponents than their lowly position suggests. Tickets

League Two
Sutton United v Crewe Alexandra @745pm - the U's are another club to have made a very poor start but they've started to tighten things up and are now unbeaten in four. However, they're still bottom because they're drawing rather than winning. Sadly for them, Crewe are one of the division's form teams and head to south London in fourth after winning five of their last six games. Tickets

Premier League International Cup
West Ham United v Lyon @7pm - this bemusingly low key U21 competition resumes on Tuesday with this match at Dagenham & Redbridge's ground. It's still at the group stage at the moment and these two are top of Group B (there are eight teams in it). In their previous games, the Hammers beat Celtic and Valencia whilst Lyon have enjoyed wins over Chelsea and Southampton. Tickets should be available on the gate

FA Youth Cup Second Round
Leyton Orient v Tring Athletic @7pm - elsewhere in east London, it's a huge night for the youngsters of both these sides but particularly those of the visitors. Hertfordshire club Tring see their first team play in the ninth tier so for them to produce an U18 side good enough to go this far is some achievement. Not only will they get the chance to play at Brisbane Road here but if they win, they'll be away to Newcastle United in the next round. Tickets are £4 and entry is via the club's main reception

FENIX Trophy
Enfield Town v BK Skjold @745pm - one of the biggest highlights of the week for me sees some European football under the lights at the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium. Yes, you read that right. The FENIX Trophy is an invitational competition for semi-pro and amateur clubs across the continent which is now in its third season. Founded in Italy in 2021, the first winners were FC United of Manchester who beat Prague Raptors in the final in Rimini. Last season, Danish club BK Skjold won after also getting the better of Prague in a match at Milan's San Siro - a fantastic occasion. This season, the competition has expanded from nine to 12 teams with the Towners making their debut and it looks like they couldn't have got a much tougher opening opponent. Tickets are £12 and can be bought online
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Wednesday 29 November

UEFA Champions League
Arsenal v RC Lens @8pm - the Gunners won 1-0 at Brentford on Saturday to go top of the Premier League so they should go into this match with some confidence. Lens are sixth in the French league after a 3-0 win at Clermont on Saturday and beat Arsenal 2-1 in the reverse fixture at the start of October so they need to be taken seriously. Tickets are only available to members but you should be able to get into the UEFA Youth League game between the clubs' U19 sides which is being played at Boreham Wood at 1pm - admission is usually free

Isthmian League Premier
Cray Wanderers v Whitehawk @745pm - the best non-league option of the day sees London's oldest club take on opposition from Sussex. Unbeaten in three, Cray are now three points clear of the bottom four and hoping to push up the table. Whitehawk are 12th but have games in hand on most of those above them, so they should be higher up and will start as favourites

Essex Senior League
Sporting Bengal United v Hullbridge Sports @745pm - the hosts won promotion back to this level last season and have made a great start. Currently fourth, they've played less games than the three clubs above them and win here could put them second. Hullbridge could move into the top five with a win of their own
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Thursday 30 November

Youth & Development games
Today is all about U23 and U18 football with matches at numerous non-league clubs around the capital - see the map for more details
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Friday 1 December

UEFA Women's Nations League
England v Netherlands @745pm - Sarina Wiegman's team return to Nations League action against the country of her birth. Things haven't gone that smoothly for the reigning European champions since returning from the World Cup with away defeats to Belgium and the Netherlands leaving them third in the group with two games to go. If they do want to progress, they really need to win this huge game which is being played at Wembley. Tickets

Premier League 2
If women's football isn't for you then there's a couple of men's U21 games to consider. Fulham entertain Brighton & Hove Albion at their training ground at Motspur Park whilst West Ham United take on Nottingham Forest at Rush Green. Both matches start at 7pm

Essex Senior League
Woodford Town v Frenford @745pm - there are a couple of decent options in this division on Friday but I'm going for this as it affects things at either end of the table. Woodford may have slipped to third by the time this comes round and they'll want to get back in the hunt for the title. Newly promoted Frenford are in the bottom three and badly need a win to revive their fortunes
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Saturday 2 December

Premier League
Arsenal v Wolverhampton Wanderers @3pm - these two experienced very contrasting fortunes in midweek with the Gunners thrashing Lens 6-0 in the Champions League and Wolves losing 3-2 at Fulham in the Premier League. Mikel Arteta's side are riding the crest of a wave right now, coming into this as leaders. However, Gary O'Neil is seen by many as a very canny young manager who is doing a good job at his new club. They will definitely start as underdogs but dangerous ones. Tickets are only available to members but hospitality packages are available from £350
Brentford v Luton Town @3pm - in terms of average attendance, these are two of the smallest clubs in the top flight with the Hatters' crowds of 10,937 making them the smallest. When you consider that 23 Championship, six League One and two League Two sides get more than that, it's fair to say they're punching well above their weight. Four points clear of the relegation zone after 13 games is no mean feat and with this being a derby of sorts, the atmosphere should be great. I can vouch for this having seen these two play each other at a packed Griffin Park way back in 1996. On that occasion, I believe the Bees came from 2-0 down to win a classic 3-2. It wouldn't surprise me if we got some more of the same here. Tickets are only available to members

Championship
Millwall v Sunderland @3pm - there should be no lack of atmosphere at The Den either where the Lions welcome the biggest club in the division (in terms of attendance). After Joe Edwards' brilliant start at Sheffield Wednesday, Millwall's new manager was brought crashing down to earth with back-to-back defeats to Coventry and Ipswich. The Mackems are eight places above them in the table but arrive on the back of two defeats against teams fighting the drop so it could be a good time to play them. Tickets

FA Cup Second Round
Sutton United v Horsham @3pm - with AFC Wimbledon playing on Monday, there's only one tie taking place in London this weekend and it looks pretty special. Sutton are one of the most famous giantkilling clubs in FA Cup history. In 1989, whilst playing in the fifth tier, they managed a 2-1 win over a Coventry City side who were fifth in the top flight - the equivalent of Barnet beating Tottenham Hotspur today. More recently in 2016/17, they beat Cheltenham Town, local rivals AFC Wimbledon and Leeds United before bowing out at home to Arsenal in the Fifth Round, losing 2-0 whilst still a non-league side. Now members of League Two they'll start as favourites against Isthmian League opposition who find themselves here after Barnsley fielded an ineligible player in the last round, getting themselves disqualified. Horsham gave it a good go against the Tykes though, drawing 3-3 at Oakwell before losing a replay. With only around 25 miles between the clubs, it's practically a derby too so I'd buy tickets in advance just to make sure you get in

National League
Bromley v Rochdale @3pm - the Ravens find themselves right up in second as they prepare for this huge game against former EFL club Dale. Although second in the table, they're a whopping 11 points behind leaders Chesterfield so they need to keep winning to have any chance of the title. The visitors have won four of their last five and will almost certainly break into the play-off places if they win this huge game. Again, this is one that's worth getting tickets for in advance

National League South
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Hemel Hempstead Town @3pm - the Beavers are the division's form team. Unbeaten in nine, with eight of those wins, it's a great time to watch the team from south-west London. Up to fourth, they could go second with a win here against midtable Hemel but they've only lost one of their last five too. It has all the ingredients for a great game. Tickets

Isthmian League Premier Division
Wingate & Finchley v Billericay Town @3pm - there will be far bigger crowds in the seventh tier on Saturday but there's only one game featuring two of the top five. W&F are the smallest team in this division with crowds of only 170 but they're having a fantastic season and find themselves in the play-off places after 17 games - usually they're at the other end. Billericay are third and are now in their second season at this level following relegation from the NLS and will provide a very stern test. Tickets

Isthmian League South Central
Corinthian Casuals v Chertsey Town @3pm - there's a game of some significance affecting the top and bottom of this eighth-tier division on Saturday. CC's came down from the Premier Division last season and being in the bottom three, are on course to go down again. Chertsey, on the other hand, are a team who appear to be on a steady up. In 2019, they did the double by winning the Combined Counties League and FA Vase. They've made the play-offs at this level since then and are top coming into this after winning their massive match against title rivals Southall last week. Over 600 packed into Alwyns Lane for that game and I'm sure they'll take a few to Tolworth for this one. Tickets are £12 on the gate 

FA Vase Third Round
This national knockout competition for teams in the ninth and 10th tiers with its final at Wembley is now down to its last 64 teams so things are getting quite serious. There are five ties in the London area on Saturday with the winners receiving £1,125 and the losers £350

Athletic Newham v Erith Town @3pm - the tie of the round in our area must be this one at the Terence MacMillan Stadium. Two seasons ago, the hosts thrashed Littlehampton Town 5-0 in the Fourth Round but then got thrown out of the competition for having fielded an ineligible player. Following their reprieve, Littlehampton went all the way to Wembley before losing in the final to Newport Pagnell Town. In other words, Athletic Newham have some unfinished business in this competition. Currently sixth in the Essex Senior League, they take on the Dockers who are a big part of the SCEFL title race. The south-east London club made the Fourth Round last year so they'll be looking to make it that far again
Egham Town v Cobham @3pm - the Sarnies have made it to the Fourth Round for the last two years so it would be rude not to complete the hat-trick. In 2021/22 they beat Cobham on their way there, winning 3-0 at their place in the Second Round. The Hammers made it all the way to Fifth Round the previous year so they've both got some recent form in this competition. On current form, I'd put my money on Egham to prevail here
Harefield United v Jersey Bulls @1245pm - in one of the day's early kick-offs, the Hares welcome opposition from the Channel Islands to Preston Park. After finishing in lower midtable last season, the hosts are really struggling this time and will probably find it really tough against Jersey who are pushing for the title in their ninth-tier division
Hilltop v Hamble Club @3pm - this is only the third season that Hilltop have taken part in the FA Vase and this is the furthest that they've gone. The club with its roots in London's Somali community have made steady progress up the leagues in recent seasons and although promotion looks unlikely this season, a great run in this competition would represent a big success. Hamble play in the parallel ninth-tier Wessex League and hail from the Southampton area - this could be close
London Lions v Stanway Pegasus @3pm - the capital's most senior all-Jewish club will equal their best ever run in the competition if they win here on Saturday. Playing a level above Stanway, they have a great chance of making progress

SCEFL Division 1
Lewisham Borough v AFC Whyteleafe @3pm - by 10th-tier standards there's a monster of a game at the Ladywell Arena where the division's top two meet. The visitors are currently four points clear at the top but Lewisham have two games in hand so this is huge!
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Sunday 3 December

Premier League
Chelsea v Brighton & Hove Albion @2pm - with five points from five games, the Blues are just about hanging on to a place in the top 10. On Sunday they face a highly rated Seagulls side who are enduring a bit of a blip with only six points from five games themselves. The Sussex club did, however, beat AEK Athens 1-0 in Greece on Thursday in the Europa League so should arrive in good spirits. Brighton are also unbeaten in five league games against Chelsea but lost to them 1-0 in the EFL Cup at Stamford Bridge two months ago. Tickets are only available to members but hospitality packages are available from £300
West Ham United v Crystal Palace @2pm - the Hammers made it four wins in a row in all competitions with a 1-0 win in Serbia over Backa Topola in the Europa League on Thursday. Up to ninth in the Premier League, things are looking pretty rosy for David Moyes' team right now. The Eagles have lost four of their last five including three big dropped points at Luton last weekend. Last season Palace did the double over West Ham but that looks unlikely this year. Tickets are available

FAWNL Southern Premier
Hashtag United v Cheltenham Town @3pm - there's an international break taking place in the women's game so the highest level matches you'll be able to see will be in the third tier. The Tags are currently top of this division and should start as strong favourites against seventh-placed Cheltenham. This match is being played at Aveley's ground

FAWNL Division 1 South East
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v QPR @2pm - in the fourth tier there's a west London derby near Heathrow Airport. The Tangerines were the division's early leaders but despite dropping to fifth, they're still a much better side than they were last season. The R's have done really well after what appeared to be a rather disorganised pre-season and they've powered up to third. Ashford are only a point behind them with a game in hand so this should be really close

ERWFL Premier Division
Barking v Real Bedford @2pm - the Blues won the Division 1 South title last season to move up to this level. The east London club are more than holding their own in midtable but the visit of the leaders will no doubt be tough

London & SE Women's Regional League Cup
Dulwich Hamlet Reserves v Brentford @130pm - these two sixth-tier sides could well end up battling each other for the divisional title. Dulwich's second string are currently top whilst the Bees are well down in seventh but they've played five games less after a lengthy FA Cup run and would go top if they won them all. A win for either side here would do wonders for morale


GET INVOLVED
If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've  been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP? 
Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below, via X/Twitter or even by good old email.

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here 

Sunday, 19 November 2023

TLFG: 20-26 November 2023

Greetings one and all and welcome to the latest TLFG.

Once again things are a little curtailed at this point as I'm exhausted. 

I've had a couple of long shifts at work this weekend and simply haven't had the time to get this piece as far as I'd like to by now.

At this stage, the match maps are, as far as I know, both up to date and I've written a few previews up until Wednesday to keep you going for now.

Sorry I don't have more for you at this stage but I think you'll survive!

THE WEEK AHEAD

This week sees the top clubs return from the international break meaning we've got matches in the Premier League, EFL, National League, FA Trophy, Women's Super League and Women's FA Cup as well as all the other non-league and women's competitions which our local clubs compete in.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.


Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.
Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Monday fixtures - yellow pin
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin



WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin


    
TLFG DAILY DIGEST
In the following section, I list what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 20 November

Professional Development League
QPR v AFC Bournemouth @7pm - the week begins with another helping of U21 football. Being played at Hanwell Town, this clash of the PDL South's top two should be well worth a watch

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Tuesday 21 November

League One
Leyton Orient v Lincoln City @745pm - the O's were leading 1-0 with just six minutes to go when this match got abandoned last month. A fan was taken seriously ill in the crowd and sadly later died. The match is being replayed in full and the hosts could really do with a win having now gone four games without one. The Imps are three points above them so it should be close again. Tickets

EFL Trophy
Charlton Athletic v Sutton United @7pm - as EFL Trophy games go, quite a lot is riding on this. The top two in each group go through and with Crawley Town having already claimed top spot, only one of these two can join them. Currently locked on three points each, Charlton have slightly better goal difference so they only need a draw to progress. Tickets

National League
Bromley v Aldershot Town @745pm - with the top two losing on Saturday, the Ravens moved up to third just three points behind second-placed Barnet after a narrow win over AFC Fylde. Aldershot sit just outside the play-off places and should provide tough opposition. Tickets

National League South
Dartford v Braintree Town @745pm - the Darts suffered the disappointment of an FA Trophy defeat to Maidstone United in the Kent derby on Saturday. On Tuesday they'll be able to refocus on the league, knowing a win against a side who are just above them, could take them into the play-off places

Isthmian League Premier
Enfield Town v Whitehawk @745pm - the Towners saw off the challenge of promotion rivals Hastings United on Saturday to stay second behind Hornchurch. The Urchins kept themselves 11 points clear at the top with a win over Potters Bar. Sussex club Whitehawk are down in ninth but have games in hand which if won would put them firmly in the top four
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Wednesday 22 November

National League
Barnet v Oldham Athletic @8pm - playing a day after everyone else, the Bees could start this game in third place just behind Bromley. In order to end their run of two consecutive defeats, they'll have to beat the Latics who were a Premier League club back in the '90s. Currently 10th, they're not the side they once were but they've only lost one of their last five and should bring a sizeable following with them. Tickets
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Thursday 23 November

UEFA Women's Champions League
Chelsea v Paris FC @8pm - after drawing their opening group game with Real Madrid in Spain, the Blues return to Stamford Bridge to face the French club who eliminated Arsenal in the qualifying rounds. Emma Hayes' team crushed a decent Liverpool side 5-1 at the weekend and should start as favourites against the side who are currently second in Ligue 1. Tickets

FA Youth Cup Second Round
There are a couple of decent looking ties in the country's most prestigious U18 competition tonight with AFC Wimbledon hosting Stevenage at Plough Lane and Erith & Belvedere taking on Charlton Athletic in a local derby. You should be able to pay on the gate for both
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Friday 24 November

Essex Senior League
Woodford Town v Saffron Walden Town @745pm - there are a couple of ESL games tonight but this one at Ashtons would be my pick. The hosts draw excellent crowds for this level and have been top for most of the season but in recent weeks they've dropped to third. Still only four points behind leaders Tilbury, they'll go second if they beat midtable SWT
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Saturday 25 November

Premier League
Brentford v Arsenal @530pm - the biggest game of the day is this derby at teatime. After worrying barren spell, three wins from their last four games have lifted the Bees up to 11th and away from the relegation zone which was getting a little too close for comfort. The Gunners are challenging for the title again, have only lost once in the league and won here in the League Cup in September - they will start as favourites. Tickets are only available to members

Championship
Millwall v Coventry City @3pm - with the Lions narrowly missing a place in the top six and the Sky Blues making it to the play-off final at Wembley, it's fair to say last season was a decent one for both clubs. This time round, things are very different with Millwall in the bottom half and on to a new manager and City way down in 20th and starting to build a lengthy winless run. The new man at Millwall is Joe Edwards who has spent most of his career as a coach at Chelsea. His impact was immediate as they won the first game of his reign 4-0 at Sheffield Wednesday so they should be pretty confident of getting something here. Tickets

League One
Leyton Orient v Wigan Athletic @3pm - the O's loss to Lincoln means they're now winless in six in the league and down to 14th - the table is tight so they're only four points above the relegation zone. Next up, they welcome former Premier League club and FA Cup winners Wigan who have just come down from the Championship. Although down in 18th, they should actually be ninth as they started the season on -8 points and are doing way better than the table suggests. This will be the first time the clubs have played since 1997, a season where the Latics comfortably did the double over the London club. Tickets

League Two
AFC Wimbledon v Notts County @3pm - after a bit of a wobble, the Dons have won three of their last four in all competitions to give their confidence a boost. Now down in 10th and four points adrift of the play-off places, they've got work to do to make up the ground they've lost in recent weeks. Notts County are back in this division after winning promotion from the National League and are on course for another promotion, sitting third as they come into this. There aren't many tickets left so definitely buy in advance if you want to go

National League
Wealdstone v Barnet @3pm - undoubtedly the game of the day in the fifth tier is this local derby at Grosvenor Vale. There's a significant grudge in existence between these two, largely over stadium issues with the Stones the more aggrieved party. Historically, the Bees are the bigger and more successful club and are Chesterfield's main challengers for the title. However, after a brilliant start, they've now lost three in a row and could come unstuck again if a spirited Wealdstone side turn up. This is another game where I'd strongly advise buying tickets in advance

National League South
Welling United v Yeovil Town @3pm - in the sixth tier, there's a match of great importance affecting either end of the table. The Wings are in the bottom four after winning only three of their 18 games whilst former Championship club Yeovil have already opened a nine-point lead at the top as they bid to get back into the National League at the first time of asking.  Again there should be a big crowd so buy your tickets in advance

Southern League Premier South
Walton & Hersham v Merthyr Town @3pm - in the seventh tier, fifth host fourth at the Elmbridge Xcel Sports Hub. The hosts have enjoyed a staggering three consecutive promotions and are apparently well set for another one after a great start to life at this level. On Saturday they welcome Welsh opposition who have improved tremendously following after some significant investment in recent months. Tickets

Isthmian League South Central
Chertsey Town v Southall @3pm - the standout game in the eighth tier, this match between the top two in this division should be well worth a watch. The hosts are currently second, two points behind the 'All but with a game in hand so this is huge

CCL Premier South
Colliers Wood United v Balham @3pm - there's nothing in the ninth tier to match the game above but we do have this south London derby at Wibbandune. Although the areas of Colliers Wood and Balham are geographically close to each other in reality, neither club actually play their home games in those areas so the rivalry isn't probably as big as it could be. The visitors are in the top six and should start as favourites

CCL Division 1
RB Kensington v Amersham Town @3pm - this match gives you a chance to run the rule over one of the best sides in the 10th tier. Having won 15 of their 18 league games this season, Amersham have already opened an 11-point lead at the top and are beginning to look unstoppable. RBK are no slouches themselves and could potentially go second if they win here and other results go their way. Sadly the hosts don't have a ground of their own and rather than playing somewhere in inner London, they groundshare out in Zone 4 at North Greenford United
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Sunday 26 November

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa @2pm - twelve games into the season and amazingly just three points separate the top five. Both of these clubs are members of that leading group so the result of this could play a big part in where they finish up, so tight are the margins. Villa come into the game a point behind Spurs but in marginally better form and they've won on two of their last three visits to the THS. Regular tickets are only available to members whilst the last few remaining hospitality packages start at £349

Women's Super League
Arsenal v West Ham United @2pm - the rest of the day's football is all to be found in the women's game and there's plenty to choose from. First up we have this derby at Boreham Wood's ground. The Gunners warmed up for this with a 2-1 win at Southampton in the League Cup on Thursday which put them joint top of their group with Spurs. West Ham, however, lost 3-1 at Brighton in the same competition to extend their winless run to six games. Now just goal difference is keeping them off bottom spot and they'll do well to get anything here. This match has sold out
Chelsea v Leicester City @2pm - Emma Hayes' side come into this on the back of a 4-1 win over Paris FC in the Champions League so they should be full of confidence coming into this one. Leicester narrowly avoided relegation last season but after a bright start have now gone five league games without a win and are down in midtable. The match is being played at Kingsmeadow and tickets have almost sold out so don't delay buying one if you do want to go

Women's FA Cup First Round
Southampton WFC v Brentford @3pm - after seeing this match postponed twice, the tie has been switched to Bedfont Sports which the Bees women use for home games. Southampton WFC are independent of the men's club and are not to be confused with the Southampton women's team in the Championship. Even so, they are a very well established fourth-tier club who should have too much for sixth-tier Brentford but this is the cup and anything's possible. This match is free entry

Women's FA Cup Second Round
For most teams still in the FA Cup, it's actually the Second Round this weekend. At this stage, the draw is made up of the surviving teams from the third tier and below. Here are the ties taking place in London:

Millwall Lionesses v Bromley @1pm -  the action begins at lunchtime with this much anticipated derby at the ground Fisher use in Rotherhithe. The Lionesses are currently fifth in the fifth tier whilst the Ravens are third in the sixth. On paper, we should expect to see a home win
Enfield Town v Luton Town @2pm - a little later there's a clash between two sides from parallel fifth-tier divisions. The Hatters are in far better form and with two of Actonians' best ever side from last season now in their ranks, they must surely win!
Haringey Borough v Moneyfields @2pm - being played within earshot of the THS at the same time as Spurs v Villa, fifth tier Haringey have landed a tough draw against a very talented Moneyfields side who are averaging over six goals a game in their fourth-tier division so far this season

L&SE Women's Regional League Division 1 North
Actonians Reserves v Denham United @2pm - last but not least, I thought I'd throw in this sixth-tier match too as it's where I plan to be. After watching the A's second string record a resounding 5-1 win at Clapton CFC two weeks ago, I'm going to go and watch them again. With the first team out of action, one or two players could well make a guest appearance in what could end up being an important match in this season's title race as these two are third and fourth. It is being played in Gunnersbury Park

GET INVOLVED
If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've  been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP? 
Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via FacebookTwitter or even by good old email.

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here 

Monday, 13 November 2023

TLFG: 13-19 November 2023

Greetings one and all and welcome to this week's TLFG.

After a lot of ambitious talk about seeing several games during my week off, I only managed to get to see a further one.

I had been all set to go to the Middlesex Senior Cup game between Harrow Borough and Hanwell Town on Tuesday but my kids played up as I was about to head out and it didn't happen.

Apparently it was a pretty turgid affair with Boro scraping through with a last-minute goal despite playing most of it against 10 men.

On Friday we had some meetings as the preparations for this season's Non-League Day continued.

Actonians Reserves played at London's oldest ground on Sunday

Aside from a team meeting, we also went to have a chat with our charity partners Prostate Cancer UK at their HQ which sits in the shadow of The Shard by London Bridge station.

On Sunday, I did finally get to a game as Actonians Reserves travelled to Forest Gate in east London to take on Clapton CFC in a league match.

CCFC play at the Old Spotted Dog which is London's oldest ground and for that fact alone, I'd always recommend a visit.

It was my first since 2015 when I went to the Non-League Day match between the other Clapton and Ilford which produced a thrilling 3-3 draw in front of almost 1,000 people.

A lot of CCFC's fans were in the crowd that day but their club didn't form until three years later when they became disillusioned with the Tons' ownership.

Although Clapton FC still exist, CCFC took control of the Old Spotted Dog and saved it.

Now back open and hosting men's and women's football, the supporters have done a superb job to keep the historic ground alive.

As is often the case, I turned up a few minutes late but I knew it was going to be worth the visit as the drums and chants of the CCFC fans could be heard from some distance away - very unusual for a women's sixth-tier match but not for one of their games.

With crowds of 200-300 for their recent games against Dulwich and Fulham, the attendance was somewhat lower than that but there was no lack of atmosphere.

England play Malta at Wembley on Friday - tickets

Women's games here are pay what you want with a programme thrown in - you can't say fairer than that.

Having made my way to the away dugout where the small number of travelling fans were gathered, I discovered the A's had gone 1-0 up in the first minute and shortly after, they scored a second.

By half-time the visitors had opened up a highly unexpected 5-0 lead which no-one saw coming.

As Neil (the doyen of Actonians supporters) and I headed to the tea bar, we were joined by last season's first-team captain Naomi Graham who lives out east and came along to give the team her support.

After the interval, it was a far more even contest with Clapton CFC scoring the only goal of the half from the penalty spot shortly after A's keeper Elisa Dogor was lucky to avoid being sent off.

It finished 5-1, a result which lifts Actonians' second string to third.

Although it's unlikely, could they win a third consecutive promotion? If they did, they'd be in the division below the first team!

Overall, a fun afternoon thanks to a great performance on the pitch and and the great hospitality of CCFC and their fans.

Lastly this week, many thanks to Neil A from Vancouver, Canada and Martin B from Sherborne, Dorset who donated to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund I really appreciate it.

THE WEEK AHEAD

This week sees the top clubs have some time off for the international break but we've still got plenty to look forward to with matches in the EFL, FA Trophy and Women's Super League as well as all the other non-league and women's competitions which our local clubs compete in.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.


Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.
Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Monday fixtures - yellow pin
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin



WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin


    
TLFG DAILY DIGEST
In the following section, I list what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 13 November

National League South
Aveley v Chelmsford City @745pm - the Millers lost their big game against promotion rivals Bath City on Saturday, allowing the West Country club to catch up and leaders Yeovil to pull six points clear. This match against fellow Essex side Chelmsford gives them a great chance to bounce back immediately. City are in the play-off places too so this should be some game

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Tuesday 14 November

National League South
Hampton & Richmond Borough v St Albans City @745pm - the Beavers extended their unbeaten run to eight games with an impressive 5-2 win over Maidstone on Saturday. The result keeps them in fourth, meaning they'll go second if they win this one and Aveley slip up on Monday

London Senior Cup First Round
There are a couple of eye-catching ties in this competition on Tuesday. QPR are entering a team for the first time in years and they begin with an away tie against Corinthian Casuals. Elsewhere, Barking welcome Leyton Orient to Mayesbrook Park. Both games kick-off at 745pm
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Wednesday 15 November

FA Cup First Round Replay
Cray Valley PM v Charlton Athletic @745pm - after recording a sensational 1-1 draw at The Valley in the original tie, CVPM welcome the Addicks to the Artic Stadium. With capacity limited to just 1,550, tickets have sold out. In the time since that first game, Cray Valley have been knocked out of the London Senior Cup but won a league game against Erith & Belvedere. Charlton warmed up for this with a fine 2-2 draw at League One leaders Portsmouth. If the underdogs do somehow win, it will be the furthest they've gone in the competition

London Senior Cup First Round
Cockfosters v Charlton Athletic U21 @745pm - the Addicks' U21 side are also in action against non-league opposition in the far north of London and with the away allocation at CVPM so low, you'd like to think they might take a few extra fans to Chalk Lane instead

FA Youth Cup Second Round
Barking v MK Dons @730pm - after wins over Great Wakering Rovers, Billericay Town, Dagenham & Redbridge, Stanway Rovers and Kingstonian, it's fair to say Barking are having quite a run in the country's most prestigious U18 competition this season. Next up they face a side who only entered the draw in the last round and won 3-0 at Stourbridge
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Thursday 16 November

Youth games
Today's matches are all at U18 level with Chessington & Hook United, Colliers Wood United, Corinthian Casuals, Enfield Borough, Hillingdon Borough and Metropolitan Police (who have two squads in action) all playing at home
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Friday 17 November

UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier
England v Malta @745pm - the biggest crowd of the week will be found at Wembley for this international match. With Gareth Southgate's side having already booked their place at next summer's tournament, there's a fair chance a few fringe players will be given a run-out in this one. Malta are bottom of the group having lost all seven of their games. Tickets are available

Essex Senior League
Woodford Town v Takeley @745pm - having seen themselves replaced at the top of the table by Tilbury, the hosts have the chance to re-take the lead. Takeley are in the bottom five and should be beaten
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Saturday 18 November

Women's Super League
Chelsea v Liverpool @130pm - with it being an international break in the men's game, the biggest crowd of the weekend should be found at Stamford Bridge which plays host to this WSL match. The Blues are currently top and are the reigning champions. The Reds, despite an unspectacular season, did manage to beat Chelsea last year and they've made a good start this time. Nonetheless, anything other than a home win will be a surprise. Tickets

League Two
Sutton United v Tranmere Rovers @3pm - the biggest fixture in the men's game is this relegation six-pointer at the bottom of the fourth tier. Sutton have been 24th for most of the season but four points from their last two games has kept them in touch with everyone else. So much so that if they beat third from bottom Tranmere, then they could move out of the relegation zone. Tickets

National League
Barnet v Gateshead @3pm - with only one win from their last three, the Bees are starting to lose the form that put them in title contention. They are still second but have now slipped five points behind leaders Chesterfield. The visitors crushed Dorking Wanderers 6-0 in their last match and are chasing a play-off spot themselves so they should present a decent challenge to the north London club. Tickets
Bromley v AFC Fylde @3pm - the Ravens are another local club to be having a good season. A win here against relegation threatened Fylde could see them end the day in third. Tickets

FA Trophy Second Round
This national knockout competition is for clubs in the fifth to eighth tiers and has its final at Wembley at the end of the season. At this stage, all the clubs in the sixth tier enter the draw alongside the remaining seventh and eighth tier clubs that have made it through the earlier rounds. Here are my pick of the ties in London:

Dartford v Maidstone United @3pm - two of the biggest clubs in Kent, who both play in the sixth tier, have been drawn to play each other at the well-appointed Princes Park. On form the visitors should start as favourites. This season marks the 50th anniversary of the Darts' one and only run to the final so it would a great time to try and emulate that fine achievement. Tickets
Cray Valley PM v Hampton & Richmond Borough @3pm - a lot has been made of CVPM's sensational run in the FA Cup which saw them bow out at home to Charlton Athletic on Wednesday night. However, they've had a great run in the FA Trophy too. On Saturday they welcome an in-form H&RB side who, playing two levels above them, should start as strong favourites. The hosts have been brilliant in the cups in recent years, making it the FA Cup First Round again in 2020 and all the way to Wembley for the FA Vase Final in 2019. Hampton & Richmond have gone out in this round for the last four years and they look set to face another challenging afternoon here
Hendon v Eastbourne Borough @3pm - the seventh tier Greens have put in some good displays recently. On Saturday they pushed title contenders Gosport hard before losing 2-1 and in the previous round of this competition, they knocked out Walton & Hersham who are another of the division's best teams. On Saturday they welcome a side from the level above who have only won one of their last five league games and are dangling just three points above the relegation zone. The chance of an upset looks reasonable

Isthmian League Premier Division
Enfield Town v Hastings United @3pm - the game of the day in the seventh tier sees two of the top five in this division meet at Donkey Lane. In this division only one team goes up automatically with the next four playing off for a second promotion place. Currently, Hornchurch are 11 points clear at the top and seemingly leaving everyone else behind. Therefore this match is of huge importance - the Towners need to keep the pressure on the Urchins whilst Hastings need to win to stay in the play-off places as four teams are queued up right behind them waiting for any slip-ups

Isthmian League North
Walthamstow v Stowmarket Town @3pm - the highest ranked of our local eighth tier teams to be hosting a game on Saturday are the Stow. Currently fifth in the Isthmian North, they could move into the top four with a win over lowly Stowmarket. With average crowds of nearly 400, the north-east London club are one of the best supported sides at this level and are definitely a club on the up - ones to keep an eye on

CCL Premier North
Rayners Lane v Broadfields United @3pm - it didn't take long to decide my ninth tier game of the day. This match at Tithe Farm sees the leaders take on the side in sixth and to top it all, they groundshare. This should be well worth taking a look at if you're in north-west London

ECL Division 1 South
Clapton CFC v Benfleet @3pm - in the 10th tier, why not pay a visit to the Old Spotted Dog? CCFC are currently top of this division and the visitors are sixth. However, it's devilishly tight with only three points separating the top six
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Sunday 19 November

Isthmian League South East
Erith & Belvedere v Chichester City @3pm - the Deres have only managed two wins since returning to this level at the start of the season, consequently they're in the bottom three. Chichester are fifth at the time of writing (Thursday) and have a couple of games in hand on some of the sides above them so will start as favourites

Women's Super League
West Ham United v Aston Villa @3pm - the Hammers, under new boss Rehanne Skinner, have made a disappointing start with only four points from their first six games. It's even worse for Villa who were bottom going into last weekend having lost all their games. Thankfully for them, they beat fellow strugglers Bristol City to move off the dreaded bottom spot. The Birmingham club's struggles have been a huge surprise after their fine season last year. Surely they'll come good soon. This match is being played at Dagenham & Redbridge. Tickets

Women's Championship
Charlton Athletic v Sunderland @12pm - arguably the women's match of the day actually takes place in the second tier where the leaders host the club in second at The Valley. Level on points and goal difference, only goals scored separate them. The early kick-off means you should be able to combine it with the Erith & Belvedere game above Tickets
Crystal Palace v Southampton @2pm - next up it's the match between the sides in third and fourth. The Eagles are only a point behind the leading pair and have a game in hand meaning the race for the solitary promotion place looks like being one of the closest ever. This match is being played at Selhurst Park. Tickets
Watford v Sheffield United @2pm - the Hornets picked up a crucial point by drawing 0-0 at Reading in their last match, a result which moved them out of the relegation zone. The Blades are also in the bottom four so this is definitely a game they should be targeting to get something out of. This is being played at Vicarage Road. Tickets

Capital Senior Cup Second Round
Fulham v Arsenal U21 @230pm - the Gunners youngsters entered this tournament last year and won it. Playing against senior opposition throughout, they beat Sutton United, QPR, London Bees and AFC Wimbledon and scored 21 goals in the process. This demonstrated once again the huge gulf that exists between the biggest women's clubs and the rest. They begin the defence of their title with a trip to Craven Cottage to play fifth tier Fulham. Last week the Cottagers played Portsmouth in the FA Cup - I predicted they'd struggle and they duly lost 9-1. This will almost certainly be another tough assignment. Tickets


GET INVOLVED
If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've  been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

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