Welcome to this week's TLFG, it's great to have you here.
How has your football watching been over the last few days?
Since watching Harrow Borough lose to Hanworth Villa last Saturday, I managed to get to watch them again at Rayners Lane in the Middlesex Senior Cup semi-finals on Tuesday.
I've wanted to go to Tithe Farm for a game forever - despite having grown up in the area, I'd never actually been to see a game there which is quite bonkers when you think I've seen matches thousands of miles from home!
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| There's now less than three weeks to go until Non-League Day |
The sides play less than a mile apart but for possibly the first time in history, are now in the same division and close together in midtable.
Rayners Lane were in better form coming into it and are the reigning cup holders so when they took an early lead, it looked ominous.
Thankfully, Harrow equalised swiftly and the game was closely contested until the break.
Early in the second half, the hosts retook the lead but had a man sent off shortly after.
Boro made use of the extra man and equalised relatively quickly but couldn't find the breakthrough and the tie went straight to penalties after the 2-2 draw.
With Harrow having come through several shoot-outs already this season, confidence was reasonably high but their efforts were pretty atrocious and they lost 4-1.
Game two of my week came today (Sunday) and saw me trek eastwards to Forest Gate for a women's match.
With Actonians' first and reserve teams not playing and their Thirds starting too early for me to get to, I opted to watch Clapton CFC's derby against Hackney in a cup match.
CCFC play at the Old Spotted Dog which is London's oldest ground and therefore an absolute must visit for fans who have an interest in the history of the game.
Fan-owned, the supporters have been funding and co-ordinating gradual improvements to the ground but it's still rough round the edges and packed with quirks and charm - it's one of my very favourite.
Their women's side were expected to win this tie and they duly did, despite the bobbly surface and dazzlingly sunny conditions.
The fans were in full voice as always and there's a very good chance I'll be back here to watch their men's team on Non-League Day (22 March) when they entertain Croydon.
I spent Non-League Day here in 2015 when I went to watch the original Clapton side (it's complicated) fight out a thrilling 3-3 draw with Ilford in front of nearly 800 fans.
Hopefully we'll see a similarly massive crowd and lots of drama this time too.
THE WEEK AHEAD
This week's highlights include games in the Premier League, EFL, National League, Women's Super League, Women's FA Cup, Women's National League and lots of other games featuring our local non-league and women's clubs.
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 3 March
National League South
Aveley v Salisbury @745pm - the most meaningful game of the day takes place at Parkside. The Millers are rooted to the bottom of the table in this sixth-tier division and time is running out. With 11 games to go, they're 10 points adrift of safety. On Saturday they lost 2-1 at home to Hampton & Richmond Borough to make it eight defeats from the last 10. Salisbury are in the bottom six and with only one win from 10 are in poor form too. Lose this and you fear it may all be over, if it isn't already. Tickets
Premier League 2
There are two games in this U21 competition on Monday with Crystal Palace hosting Arsenal at Sutton United (tickets) and Fulham playing Nottingham Forest at Motspur Park - check admission details with the club on the day. Both games start at 7pm
Professional Development League
Brentford v Swansea City @1pm - there's also a lunchtime kick-off in Staines in this other U21 competition. The Bees can go top of Group South if they win this match at Wheatsheaf Park. Tickets
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Tuesday 4 March
Championship
Millwall v Bristol City @745pm - the Lions made the headlines for all the wrong reasons on Saturday as goalkeeper Liam Roberts got sent off for an horrific challenge in the early stages of their big FA Cup tie at Crystal Palace. Unsurprisingly, they went on to lose 3-1. Returning to league action, they need to win this to keep their play-off hopes alive. Seven points adrift of the top six with a game in hand, they can still do it. Their chances will be improved greatly if they can beat the Robins as they're one of the group of five teams between themselves and where they want to be. Tickets
League One
Charlton Athletic v Barnsley @745pm - the Addicks won their huge derby at Leyton Orient to move above them into the top six. Their cracking results has now put them second in the form table too. After a bit of a wobble, the Tykes are starting to build some momentum. Three wins in a row have lifted them to tenth, four points behind Charlton in what is a tight promotion race. When they last played in October, it finished 2-2. Tickets
League Two
Bromley v Doncaster Rovers @745pm - it was also a great derby day for the Ravens on Saturday as they won 1-0 at AFC Wimbledon. It saw the Dons slip out of the top four but moved the Hayes Lane club up to 10th. Seven points adrift of the play-off places, they still need a lot of results to go their way if they are to make the post-season. Doncaster should give them an even tougher test than Wimbledon as they're in the top three but Bromley beat them 1-0 in Yorkshire back in October. Tickets
National League
Barnet v Yeovil Town @745pm - the Bees kept themselves in pole position in the fifth tier with a solid 3-0 win at Oldham Athletic, a side with promotion ambitions of their own. Six points clear with 11 games to go they could still blow it but their form would have to spectacularly collapse. Somerset club Yeovil were a Championship side as recently as 2014 but they fell all the way down to the sixth tier over the course of a miserable decade. Back up a division, this season has been about consolidation with Saturday's draw against Southend keeping them in eleventh. Tickets
Isthmian League Premier
Cray Valley PM v Hendon @745pm - for me, the game of the day in the seventh tier is this match at the Artic Stadium. This weekend's results would seem to suggest that the title race is probably going to be between Billericay Town and Dartford with only one of them going up automatically. The play-offs are contested by the teams in second to fifth and CVPM are currently fourth. Personally, I think fourth is probably the highest they will finish although mathematically they could do a bit better than that. At the other end of the table, the Greens fought out a highly entertaining 3-3 draw with Hashtag United. Although they salvaged a point, they remained five points adrift of safety with 10 games to go. Tickets
Isthmian League South Central
Hanworth Villa v Farnham Town @745pm - in the eighth tier I recommend a trip to Rectory Meadow. The hosts have this knack of really going through the gears in the latter stages of a season to get into play-off contention and they seem to be doing it again. Their 1-0 win over Sutton Common Rovers on Saturday put them top of the division's form table just in time to play the leaders who are now 10 points clear. Hanworth are also one of only two teams to beat Farnham so far this season so the Surrey club could be in for a tougher night than usual. Tickets are £11 on the gate
SCEFL Premier
VCD Athletic v Whitstable Town @745pm - the Vickers kept themselves one point clear at the top of this ninth-tier division by winning 5-0 at Hollands & Blair on Saturday. Nearest challengers Faversham also won to keep the pressure on. To make sure they stay top, they have to beat Whitstable. The Kent club had a very dramatic Saturday afternoon, coming from 2-0 down to beat Whitchurch Alport 3-2 with a last-minute goal as they made the FA Vase semi-finals for the first time. As a result of that cup run, they've got games in hand which, if won, could put them firmly in the top five. I'm not certain of ticket prices but it shouldn't exceed £10
CCL Division 1
Hillingdon Borough v Westside @730pm - if you fancy a tenth-tier game then treat yourself to a trip to the Middlesex Stadium near Ruislip. The hosts have struggled over the last few years but this season they're making a real go of it and will start this match in sixth. With games in hand on all of the top five, a place in the play-offs looks like a very real possibility. Westside, another rather unheralded team, are having a great campaign and could end the evening a point adrift of second place Penn & Tylers Green. Tickets are £6 on the gate
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Wednesday 5 March
Women's Super League
West Ham United v Manchester City @7pm - the Hammers went into Sunday's game at Arsenal as huge underdogs. Having only beaten the Gunners once, not much was expected of them. That statistic didn't change but they gave it a great go. Leading 3-1 going into the 56th minute, a disastrous six-minute spell saw them concede three goals to end up losing 4-3. They slipped to ninth as a result. City were also in the capital on Sunday and came away from Brisbane Road with a 2-1 win over Spurs to remain fourth. West Ham have also only beaten City once in their history so the odds are stacked against them again. This is being played at Dagenham & Redbridge. Tickets
Chelsea v Leicester City @730pm - Sunday saw the Blues show a rare moment of weakness as they had to come from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw at Brighton. With Manchester United winning, their lead is now down to five points. On paper, a home game against the Foxes looks like a certain win but the Midlands club are the only other side to have held Chelsea this season, drawing 1-1 shortly before Christmas. This is being played at Kingsmeadow. Tickets
SCEFL Division 1 Cup
Lewisham Borough v Forest Hill Park @745pm - there are several games in the eighth and ninth tiers but few are likely to be as lively as this groundshare derby in south-east London. These two have been co-habiting at the Ladywell Arena for a few years now, with the derby between them coming to be known as the Catford Classico. The build-up seems to be a little muted this year, perhaps because FHP are now a much stronger side than previously and come into this as leaders of the division. Whatever happens, there should be a decent atmosphere for a tenth-tier game. I'm not sure of prices but it should be in the £6-8 region
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Friday 7 March
Premier League Cup
Chelsea v Ipswich Town @7pm - I couldn't find any senior football on Thursday - you can dig around for some junior games if you're interested but I sadly don't have time this week. So we move straight to Friday and this U21 match at Kingsmeadow. We're through to the knockout stages of this competition now with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs. Tickets
Isthmian League South Central
Sutton Common Rovers v Ashford Town (Middlesex) @745pm - there's a relegation six-pointer at Carshalton Athletic's ground. Both sides have struggled all season and find themselves six and seven points adrift of safety respectively. With 10 games to go, it's looking pretty bleak for both of them. Tickets are £11 on the gate
Essex Senior League
Woodford Town v Benfleet @745pm - the hosts seem to have been second for months. However, if they win here, they will go top until at least Saturday afternoon. If it does happen, they'll be two points clear but will have played three games more than Stanway Rovers so it will be a little false. Benfleet are in the bottom five but in no real danger of relegation so it will be interesting to see how they approach the game. Tickets are £7 on the gate
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Saturday 8 March
Premier League
Crystal Palace v Ipswich Town @3pm - aside from a terrible foul on one of their players, the Eagles made smooth progress into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup last weekend. One of the most in-form teams in the Premier League, it's going pretty well for the Selhurst Park club. On Saturday they play an Ipswich side who haven't won a league game since December and are thought by many to be destined for relegation. They also haven't won at this venue since 2010 so it doesn't look great for the Suffolk club. Tickets are only available to members
Brentford v Aston Villa @530pm - in the late game, the Bees have the chance to cut the gap on Villa to just a point with a game in hand. Quite an achievement when you consider the Birmingham club are firmly on course for a place in the Champions League quarter-finals after their 3-1 win over Club Brugge in midweek. However, since joining the Premier League, Brentford have only won one of their seven games against Villa so it appears they've become a bit of bogey team. Tickets are only available to members
Championship
Watford v Millwall @1230pm - neck-and-neck in the middle of the table and the form table, this match should be close. Despite having some iffy results, the Hornets are still just three points adrift of the play-off places but there are still five teams between them and the promised land of the top six. The Lions are still licking their wounds after a bruising week which saw them lose to Palace in the cup and then get beaten 2-0 at home by Bristol City on Tuesday. Although only a place below Watford, they're four points behind so seven points away from the play-offs. In other words, they can't afford many more losses if they want to stay in contention. Tickets
League One
Leyton Orient v Northampton Town @3pm - the O's were one of the form teams of the division until a couple of weeks ago when they celebrated a fantastic away win at Wrexham. However, it's suddenly all gone wrong and they've lost four in a row including last week's big derby against Charlton. The Cobblers are in the lower reaches of the division and should provide the hosts with a good opportunity to bounce back. This match has sold out
League Two
AFC Wimbledon v Notts County @1230pm - there's another early kick-off at Plough Lane where the Dons will play one of their biggest games of the season. Even if they weren't a point apart in fifth and fourth, a visit from former top-flight club Notts County is always a big occasion. When the sides met in Nottingham in October, the Magpies edged to a 1-0 win and I expect it to be close again. This match has also sold out
National League
Barnet v Dagenham & Redbridge @1230pm - the Bees are absolutely flying at the moment. After thrashing Yeovil 5-0 on Tuesday, they went nine points clear at the top. Now unbeaten in 11 and with only two goals conceded during that run, the title is getting ever closer for the north London club. It's a totally different story for the Daggers who have found themselves drawn right into the relegation dogfight. While Barnet have had wonderful 11 games, the east London club haven't won in 11 games. Their last win came on New Year's Day at bottom club Ebbsfleet. Lose this and they could end the day in the relegation zone. As well as being a derby, Barnet have cut ticket prices to £5 for this game to try and get more fans through the door
National League South
Boreham Wood v Aveley @3pm - my pick of the day in the sixth tier sees us head to Meadow Park. The Wood are leading the charge for TLFG clubs in this division. Fifth and four points behind leaders Dorking Wanderers, the table is really tight with only five points separating the top six. With 10 games to go, the Millers are bottom and nine points adrift of safety. It's really looking bleak for the Essex club but if they were to pull off a shock win here, the effect on team morale could be huge. Tickets
Isthmian League Premier Division
Hashtag United v Dulwich Hamlet @3pm - the Tags have spent most of this season pottering along in midtable and making few headlines. However, over the last few weeks, they've really got their act together and climbed all the way up to sixth. Now only three points behind Dover in the last play-off spot, things are getting exciting. Here they play a Dulwich side who are, in my opinion, massively underperforming again. Having suffered relegation from the sixth tier two seasons ago, they're now only five points above the relegation zone in this division. For a club which regularly draws crowds of 3,000+ in a division where the average is more like 500, it mystifies many how they can perform so badly. A home win looks the most likely outcome. Tickets are £12
Isthmian League North
Walthamstow v Brightlingsea Regent @3pm - in the eighth tier I recommend a trip to Wadham Lodge. The Stow sit just outside the play-off places, five points behind Brightlingsea but with a game in hand. In other words, this match could well define their year and decide whether or not they make the post-season. The hosts also attract good crowds for this level and you could easily see 400 present for this although they are capable of double that on their day. Tickets are £10 on the gate
CCL Premier North
Bedfont Sports v Amersham Town @3pm - third play first in this big game in the ninth tier. The hosts start this game 13 points behind leaders Amersham but when you look a bit closer, things are potentially far tighter than they initially appear. If Bedfont win here, they then have three games in hand which if won would put them only a point behind the Buckinghamshire club. Whatever happens in those games, the visitors have had an impressive couple of years. Last season they won Division 1 of this league by a 17-point margin and have been competitive from the off at this higher level too. Second placed Egham do look like catching them but promotion via the play-offs is still very much on the cards. Tickets are £8 on the gate and don't forget, if you also like watching planes, this ground is right next to Heathrow Airport
SCEFL Premier Division
Fisher v VCD Athletic @3pm - I usually only pick one game in each tier but this one also sees third play first and it gives me a chance to mention the Fish who've had a great season. Currently third, they should manage to finish with a play-off place. They still need a few wins yet but it's looking good for them. As for the Vickers, they're still top despite suffering a loss at home to Whitstable in midweek. Losing that game in hand was a big blow as it would've given them a four-point advantage over second placed Faversham. Now the lead is only one and they have nine games to go in the two-horse race for the title. Tickets are £8 on the gate
CCL Division 1
Hillingdon Borough v Windsor & Eton @3pm - the hosts picked up an impressive 2-0 win over promotion rivals Westside to move into the play-off places on Tuesday night. Next up they face the leaders. Eleven points clear with eight games to go, it's been a brilliant season for the famous Berkshire club who only re-formed in 2023 and look set for their second promotion in the two seasons of their existence. Hillingdon have played fewer games than anyone immediately above or below them, so their chances of making the play-offs look great. Massively overshadowed by near neighbours Wealdstone, they don't get the attendances they deserve, so give them a boost if you're anywhere near the Ruislip area. Tickets are £6 on the gate
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Sunday 9 March
Premier League
Chelsea v Leicester City @2pm - the Blues enjoyed a successful Conference League sojourn to Denmark on Thursday as they won the first leg of their last 16 tie against FC Copenhagen 2-1. In this game they'll refocus their efforts on getting back into the Champions League places and a win here will put them back into the top four at Manchester City's expense. The Foxes' loss to West Ham on Saturday saw the Midlands club end the day six points adrift of safety with 11 games to go. Chelsea are unbeaten in seven against Leicester and haven't lost a league game at home to them since 2018. Tickets
Tottenham Hotspur v AFC Bournemouth @2pm - a mini-revival which saw Spurs beat Manchester United and Ipswich has now been followed by consecutive defeats to Manchester City and AZ Alkmaar. Both were only 1-0 so it wasn't disastrous but a return to winning ways would lift a bit of pressure off Ange Postecoglou. With three defeats from six, the Cherries are having a little wobble of their own but they did beat Tottenham 1-0 in the reverse fixture and will climb to sixth if they win. Tickets are only available to members but hospitality packages are available from £149
Women's FA Cup Quarter-Finals
Arsenal v Liverpool @230pm - the Gunners are the most successful club in the history of the men's and women's FA Cup with both winning 14 times. However, it's been nine years since the women won this competition and four years since they made the final. Despite some WSL titles to their name, the Reds have never brought this cup home. On current form, Arsenal are strong favourites to win here but Liverpool will be looking to impress interim boss Amber Whiteley and build on the league win they achieved at Crystal Palace last weekend. This is being played at Boreham Wood. Tickets
Chelsea v Crystal Palace @230pm - the Blues have dominated women's football in this country for several years now but rather shockingly failed to get to last year's FA Cup Final having won the previous three. Palace ran them very close as a Championship side in the Fifth Round of last year's competition, valiantly losing 1-0 at Kingsmeadow. Now in the WSL, they've found things a real struggle and got tonked 7-0 by Chelsea at Selhurst Park in their first home game at this level. With new Norwegian boss Leif Smerud now in charge, they'll hope for a much-improved performance but a win would produce the cupset of the round. This is being played at Kingsmeadow. Tickets
Women's Championship
Charlton Athletic v Blackburn Rovers @12pm - the Addicks were poised to go third last Sunday until a very late goal from London City Lionesses ensured the derby ended 1-1. For some reason, this is the only second-tier match taking place today so if Charlton win this time, they will go third. Blackburn are having a poor season and are only two points above the dreaded bottom spot. They do have games in hand on those below them, but they should still be beaten here. This is being played at The Valley. Tickets
FAWNL Southern Premier
AFC Wimbledon v Ipswich Town @2pm - being played at Plough Lane, the Dons are making this a big celebration of International Women's Day with lots of their former players in attendance. As for the game itself, it's a big one as they welcome one of the favourites for the title. Although Ipswich lost their huge game to title rivals Hashtag United last weekend, they have three games in hand which if won will put them ahead. Making games like these big showcase occasions can backfire for the host clubs as they can get hammered. That's exactly what happened in the reverse fixture in December when the Suffolk club crushed Wimbledon 5-0 so it will be a bit of a shame if that happens again. 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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