Sunday, 19 March 2023

TLFG: 20-26 March 2023

Greetings one and all and welcome to TLFG.

The focus this week is mainly on Non-League Day and Women's Football Weekend which both take place this weekend.

With so much going on, I'm absolutely cream crackered so I'll keep this brief.

Over the last few days I've been to three games.

Firstly on Thursday I went to Hanwell Town again to watch QPR U21s take on their counterparts from Charlton Athletic.

The sides put on a very entertaining game which the R's won 4-2.

This year's Non-League Day is on Saturday

I also saw my daughter in action again for Actonians U10s as they played Enfield Town away - the furthest we've yet had to travel for a game. 

Getting there for 9am on Saturday was a challenge but we made it and she did me proud in the wet conditions, getting a great assist for their goal in a 3-1 defeat. 

Then on Sunday, I finished my week watching Actonians Reserves beat Headstone Manor 8-0 in the GLWFL Cup.

As for Non-League Day on Saturday, Athletic Bilbao are sending a delegation to the match between Dulwich Hamlet and Oxford City so I'll be heading there and tickets are available now.


There are several designs in the Non-League Day t-shirt range and you can choose your own colours
and a percentage of the proceeds goes to Prostate Cancer UK

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include games in the National League, Isthmian League, Southern League and Women's Super League and many other games in our local non-league and women's competitions.

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, by day, 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 March

Professional Development League
The week begins with two U21 games at clubs' main stadiums. Charlton Athletic take on Bristol City at The Valley at 2pm  (tickets are £3) whilst Watford host QPR at Vicarage Road at 1pm (tickets are £5). 

London Senior Cup Quarter-Final
Hendon v Brentford B @745pm - these sides have contested two of the last three LSC finals so it's fair to say that they both take this competition pretty seriously. Brentford are the reigning champions after beating the Greens on penalties last year. The main story following the Bees' second string around this season, is the presence of David Beckham's son Romeo in the squad. Occasionally Beckham Senior turns up to watch and causes quite a stir

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Tuesday 21 March

National League South
Welling United v Tauton Town @745pm - defeat at struggling Weymouth on Saturday saw the Wings extend their winless run to seven games. Now only six points above the relegation zone, things look a bit worrying for the south-east London club. However, if they beat Taunton who sit a couple of places below them, things could appear a lot more rosy

Southern League Premier South
Hanwell Town v Poole Town @745pm - the Geordies picked up their first win in nine games at Gosport on Saturday to move 11 points clear of the relegation zone and calm a few nerves. The visitors are on an impressive 12-game unbeaten run and are unsurprisingly in the top five. However, their play-off place is by no means secure and they need to keep the points coming in
Harrow Borough v Bracknell Town @745pm - Boro made the long journey down to Devon on Saturday to play Plymouth Parkway and ended up losing 4-0. The result left them in the relegation zone, three points adrift of safety but with games in hand on most of those around them. Worryingly, star player George Moore went off injured during that game and if that proves to be something serious it could be disastrous for Steve Baker's side. It's not likely to get any easier here either. Bracknell are third, have won nine of their last 12 games and beaten Harrow twice already this season in the league and cup
Metropolitan Police v Swindon Supermarine @745pm - the most finely-balanced game looks like being this one between the clubs in sixth and eighth. Both are still very much in the hunt for a play-off place and the visitors could end the day in the top five if they win and Poole lose, although there would need to be a significant swing in goal difference
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Wednesday 22 March

SCEFL Premier
Phoenix Sports v Erith Town @745pm - game of the day for me is this ninth-tier match between two of the division's top four. As mentioned in recent weeks, leaders Erith & Belvedere who seemed to have an insurmountable lead (23 points clear at the start of February), seem to be wobbling rather badly. With only one win in five, their lead is now only seven points and second placed Phoenix have this game in hand. The Dockers are nine points off the title pace themselves so both really need to win this to close the gap even more

SCEFL Division 1
FC Elmstead v Lewisham Borough @745pm - a couple of points apart in ninth and eighth, these two still have their sights on a play-off spot. With four wins and a draw from their last five, Lewisham currently top the division's form table and could be ones to keep an eye on in the closing weeks of the season
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Thursday 23 March

CCL Division 1
Brook House v Sandhurst Town @730pm - the hosts, formerly known as AFC Hayes, were a Southern League side when I started writing this blog but have suffered a couple of relegations since then. They're not having a great campaign this time either and are in the bottom three. Sandhurst, on the other hand, are the division's highest scorers with 101 goals from just 26 games. Fifth at the time of writing, they have six games in hand on leaders FC Deportivo Galicia and it looks like just a matter of time before they usurp them 

FAWNL Division 1 South East
London Seaward v AFC Wimbledon @745pm - a big game in the women's fourth tier sees third play second. Currently 11 points behind leaders Hashtag United, the hosts have probably left it too late to win the title but finishing runners-up is still an outside possibility if they win here
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Friday 24 March

Essex Senior League
The Non-League Day celebrations get underway on Friday night when the ESL's Groundhop begins. With matches stretched across the whole weekend, three are being played at Athletic Newham, Romford and Woodford Town on Friday. All kick-off at 745pm. My personal pick would be the match at Ashton's where Woodford always get a good crowd and you'll get a free programme 
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Saturday 25 March

NON-LEAGUE DAY

National League
Wealdstone v Barnet @3pm -  topping the bill on NLD is this local derby between two pretty bitter rivals. The Stones and Bees have been playing each other on and off for years but the rivalry has only been properly rekindled since Wealdstone recently returned to the fifth tier. They're both in the top eight and going for promotion too. Barnet took a decent point off title chasing Notts County on Saturday whilst Wealdstone suffered a surprise 4-1 defeat to struggling Scunthorpe. The match is so big that it's being televised live by BT Sport and the hosts are trying to smash their attendance record so I'd strongly advise you to buy tickets in advance
Boreham Wood v Eastleigh @3pm - there's also a great looking game at Meadow Park where another two of the top eight do battle for a crucial three points. The Spitfires leapfrogged the Wood with a win over Altrincham on Saturday but they've played two more games and need to win here to stay ahead of Luke Garrard's side. If you buy a ticket for this match, you'll get a free one for the following game against Torquay on Tuesday

National League South
Dulwich Hamlet v Oxford City @3pm - although in the sixth tier, this match at Champion Hill could get the biggest non-league attendance of the day in London. Dulwich always come close to selling out but they get really big crowds on NLD which they usually strongly embrace. To make things even bigger this year, La Liga club Athletic Bilbao will be launching their support for Non-League Day by sending an official club delegation to the game and paying for a number of their fans to attend. The European giants will then host their own version of the event in the Basque Country in September. On the pitch, third place Oxford will start as favourites. You are strongly advised to buy your tickets in advance - this is where I'm going
Dartford v Chelmsford City @3pm - there's another cracking looking game at Princes Park where two of the current top four look for a win which will help cement their play-off place. The Darts have been second for a long time now and with leaders Ebbsfleet 18 points clear, it's the highest they're likely to finish. Ticket offers are available
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Farnborough @3pm - the Beveree regularly does well in polls about fans' favourite London non-league grounds. The club has struggled a bit this season and there has been quite a lot of off-field upheaval but things seem to be settling down and four straight wins has lifted Mel Gwinnett's side eight points clear of the relegation zone. The visitors are only two places above them but there's a whopping 10-point gap as a large group of clubs in the bottom half have been somewhat cut off from the rest. Tickets are cheaper if bought in advance
Welling United v Bath City @3pm - all four of our local NLS sides are at home with the Wings hoping to build on what they hope will be a positive midweek game against Taunton. Still looking to make sure of avoiding the drop, they welcome a Bath side who are still very much in contention for a play-off place. Prices for tickets in all categories have been reduced for NLD

A bit further afield
It's also worth noting that two NLS clubs just outside London who take NLD really seriously are also playing at home. Slough Town host leaders Ebbsfleet United in a huge game which is also being shown live on BT Sport and kicks-off at 1230pm. This will allow you to get to a number of 3pm kick-offs and give you the chance to see two games that afternoon (clubs like Burnham, Uxbridge and Windsor are all close by).  They are also selling a limited number of cheap tickets in advance. On the north side of town, Cheshunt also go to town on NLD with the entertainment starting at 11am ahead of their game against Weymouth at 3pm

Isthmian League Premier
Hornchurch v Margate @3pm - although there's quite a bit on, there aren't many standout fixtures in the seventh tier. The biggest crowd will probably come at Bridge Avenue where the table-topping Urchins will look to extend their lead to six points against midtable Margate
Corinthian Casuals v Wingate & Finchley @3pm - at the other end of the table, two of the bottom six meet for what is undoubtedly an important game for both. NLD is all about people who are new to the game at this level discovering clubs and CC's are one of the most historic in England, giving rise to Brazilian giants Corinthians with whom they still have strong links today
Cray Wanderers v Horsham @3pm - talking of history, they don't come much more historic than Cray who are London's oldest club having being founded in 1860. They're having a decent season and could end the day in the play-off places but the visitors are only a point behind. Ticket deals 
Kingstonian v Haringey Borough @3pm - down in the bottom five, the K's could do with a few more points. Haringey are the kind of midtable side that they could beat. Ticket deals

Southern League Premier South
Metropolitan Police v Chesham United @3pm - there are four games in this division on Saturday with this one between two of the top eight being the pick of what's on offer. Imber Court is a fine venue for this level and is only a short walk from Thames Ditton station
Harrow Borough v Gosport Borough @3pm -Boro are struggling at the moment but so are the visitors - this is a hugely important game for both. There are also numerous ticket deals including reduced entry for England v Ukraine ticket holders
Hanwell Town v Swindon Supermarine @3pm - with one member of the NLD team heavily involved at the Powerday Stadium, the Geordies were always going to do something to mark the occasion. You can read what they've got planned here
Hendon v Hartley Wintney @3pm - both fighting to avoid the drop, this is a big six-pointer. It's also only £5 to get in if you wear ANY football shirt

Isthmian League South Central
Chertsey Town v Sutton Common Rovers @3pm - the Curfews are only a point outside the play-off places whilst SCR are scrapping to avoid the drop, so there's plenty to play for here. If you hang around afterwards, the club are hosting a race night
Northwood v Westfield @3pm - former leaders Northwood are now fourth after losing to Thatcham on Saturday and are well out of the title race. The priority now is to preserve their place in the play-offs and they're up against a side who badly want to join them there
Uxbridge v Walton & Hersham @3pm - the hosts are pottering along nicely enough in midtable and won't do too much of note for the remainder of the season. The visitors, however, are second and in a ding dong battle with Basingstoke for the title

Essex Senior League
West Essex v Southend Manor @1230pm - the ESL groundhop resumes on Saturday with this early kick-off at Wadham Lodge in Walthamstow where it's Pay What You Want. A win here could well see West Essex end the day in the top five and it looks quite possible as the visitors are bottom. If you want to continue with the hop, your next destination looks like being Buckhurst Hill and their game against Saffron Walden Town at 3pm

CCL Premier South
Abbey Rangers v Badshot Lea @3pm - the other game which catches my eye in the ninth tier is this match between two of the current top four at Addlestone Moor. Although only four points separate them, Abbey have played three games more

SCEFL Premier
Erith Town v Bearsted @3pm - the Dockers lost their big match against Phoenix Sports on Wednesday leaving them fourth and nine points behind the leaders Erith & Belvedere. Bearsted are in the bottom half but are unbeaten in four. Ticket prices have been cut for NLD

SCEFL Division 1
Lewisham Borough v Snodland Town @3pm - as mentioned above, Lewisham are currently playing well and top the form table. Second in that table are leaders Snodland. They're seven points clear and will take some stopping. They're also offering entry, programme and a hot drink for just £5

Other matches
There are two other games of note in London on Saturday which are not part of NLD. In League One, Charlton Athletic take on Wycombe Wanderers who are looking for a play-off place. Whilst in the women's game, it's derby day between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal which is being played at Leyton Orient's ground
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Sunday 26 March

UEFA Euro 2024 group stage
England v Ukraine @5pm - the biggest game in London over the weekend sees the Three Lions play their first home qualifier as they attempt to make it to next year's tournament in Germany. Their opening game is against Italy in Naples on Thursday. Tickets for this match at Wembley have sold out

FA Women's Championship
Charlton Athletic v Sunderland @12pm - Sunday's results mean the Addicks still have a slim chance of winning the title. Third and 10 points behind leaders Bristol City, they have two games in hand which if won could make things close. The Mackems are in the bottom four and should be beaten
Crystal Palace v Blackburn Rovers @12pm - currently sixth, the Eagles have a very realistic chance of finishing in the top four and could possibly challenge Charlton for third. Rovers are second from bottom but with only one team going down, the nine points between themselves and Coventry United makes them look pretty safe. The club are also giving away 1,000 tickets so apply now

Capital Women's Senior Cup Semi-Final
London Bees v Arsenal Academy @2pm - the hosts are in the bottom four in the women's third tier and they could find the Gunners' youngsters quite hard to handle. AFC Wimbledon await the winners in the final

FAWNL Division 1 South East
Actonians v Norwich City @2pm - it'll probably come as very little surprise to find out that this is where I plan to spend my Women's Football Weekend. The top three look increasingly settled which means quite a battle is shaping up to finish fourth. Norwich won the reverse fixture 1-0 early in the season. Tickets
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Hashtag United @2pm - the Tags have been top pretty much from the off and although they've had a wobble in the last few weeks, they'll probably just see it over the line. They demolished Cambridge City 8-0 on Sunday and should get the better of Ashford. However, the Tangerines have improved considerably in recent weeks and won at third placed London Seaward a couple of weeks ago - a point is a vague possibility
QPR v AFC Wimbledon @2pm - if Hashtag do slip up then it's the Dons who will seek to benefit the most. Having thrashed the leaders 4-0 on their own pitch a few weeks ago, the south London club are now firmly in contention to win the title. The R's are one of the teams in the race to finish fourth. They took a very creditable point off London Seaward on Sunday and won the away game against Wimbledon back in August but then got thrashed 7-1 by them in the FA Cup in October. With it being Women's Football Weekend, QPR have moved this game to Loftus Road. Tickets

GLWFL Division 1 North
Leyton Orient v Actonians 3rd XI @2pm - way down in the women's eighth tier, the O's welcome their first team to Brisbane Road less than 24 hours after the North London Derby between Spurs and Arsenal. It's a huge moment for the visitors too, who usually play most of their games on park pitches in front of very few spectators. To top it all, it's free entry

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 


Sunday, 12 March 2023

TLFG: 13-19 March 2023

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

I've been on early shifts this week and haven't been able to go to any live matches.

Most of my free time has been spent on Non-League Day (NLD) preparations which is now less than two weeks away.

With Athletic Bilbao sending a delegation to the match between Dulwich Hamlet and Oxford City on 25 March, that's where I'll be heading and tickets are available now.

This year's Non-League Day is fast approaching

We also had confirmation this week that the Premier League trophy will be heading to a game so that fans can have photos with it - the destination should be announced in the next few days.

One of the things I've always tried to do through NLD is build bridges between clubs, fans and football organisations at all levels.

I've always tried to accentuate the positives, find common ground and generally put on an event that celebrates football at this level.

In other words, it is not a protest movement.

Other organisations have taken a different tack with NLD-style events elsewhere in Europe and they've been crushed fairly swiftly.

Thankfully, other 'days' have sprung in their place with Vrai Foot Day in France and Tag der Amateure in Germany at the forefront.

There is a small event in the Netherlands, something similar in Russia and in September, Athletic hope to launch theirs in the Basque Country.

There are several designs in the Non-League Day t-shirt range and you can choose your own colours

There is still much to do in the remaining time - next weekend I'm going to have to try and produce a Non-League Day and Women's Football Weekend Special.

Yes, the women's event inspired by NLD (a person at the FA admitted that to me in a phone call) has been timed to coincide with my event.

It's annoying as we always tried to avoid each other with WFW usually getting the international break in November all to itself but for reasons best known to themselves, they went for the same weekend as us - we announced ours first.

Anyway, I love them both and will try give them both my support.

As you may have seen last week, we have a new pin badge and have relaunched our range of t-shirts which some of you, particularly of a groudhopping persuasion, might rather like.

A percentage of the proceeds goes to Prostate Cancer UK so you'll be helping a good cause too.

Lastly this week, many thanks to Christopher J from Germany who donated to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund - I really appreciate it. 

It's also been fun advising and chatting with readers Blaine W, Nick G, David V and Mauricio V - keep your messages coming.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include games in the Premier League, EFL, National League, Women's Super League and many other games in our local non-league and women's competitions.

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, by day, 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 12 March

Premier League Cup Quarter-Final
Brentford v Arsenal @7pm - the week begins with this U21 derby. The Bees tend to move their development games around and this time, rather randomly, they've selected Sutton United's ground to hold this. Tickets are £5 on the gate

Essex Alliance League Senior Division Cup Quarter-Final
Jolof Sports v Sporting Hackney @8pm - the non-league alternative is this cup match between some 11th-tier teams which is being played at Barking's ground in east London. Both sides are in the league's top five so it should be competitive

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Tuesday 13 March

Championship
Millwall v Swansea City @745pm - after a midweek loss to Norwich, the Lions returned to winning ways on Saturday with a win at Reading. The result kept them in the play-off spots as we move towards the business end of the season. The Swans are now five without a win and should be beaten. Tickets
Watford v Birmingham City @745pm - Chris Wilder's reign asHornets manager got off to an underwhelming start as his side lost 1-0 at struggling QPR. Winless in three, they're now six points adrift of the top six. Birmingham picked up their first win in a while beating a much improved Rotherham on Saturday, to move 10 points clear of the relegation zone. Tickets

League Two
Sutton United v Grimsby Town @745pm - the U's extended their unbeaten run to nine matches with a draw against Barrow on Saturday but missed the chance to move into the play-off places by failing to win. Still only a point adrift, a win against midtable Grimsby could well propel them into the top seven. Tickets

National League
Barnet v Yeovil Town @745pm - the Bees' fine season continued on Saturday when they beat Maidstone United on penalties to make the FA Trophy semi-finals. In the league they're in the play-off places and potentially on for a memorable double. Former Championship club Yeovil are only four points above the relegation zone and will start as underdogs
Boreham Wood v Southend United @745pm - arguably the biggest game in the fifth tier on Tuesday is this match between the sides in seventh and ninth. The Wood have won their last four but had this weekend off so should be well rested. The Shrimpers were up among the contenders but four defeats from five have seen them slide
Wealdstone v Chesterfield @745pm - three consecutive wins and only one defeat in five have lifted the Stones up to eighth and back into play-off contention. If they beat fourth-placed Chesterfield, then all associated with the club should really start to believe something big is possible

National League South
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Cheshunt @745pm - after worrying starts to their campaigns, both sides seem to be mounting a fightback. The Beavers managed an impressive 2-1 win over Chelmsford on Saturday whilst Cheshunt picked up a point against Taunton to extend their unbeaten run to four. The reverse fixture took place on the opening day and Cheshunt won 3-2 so hopefully we'll get another load of goals here

Middlesex Senior Cup Semi-Final
Enfield Town v Harrow Borough @745pm - one of my favourite memories as a Harrow Borough fan was going to watch them in the 1993 MSC Final at Southbury Road, the now demolished home of Enfield (who also no longer exist). That glorious sunny day in London will always make me think fondly of this part of town. On Tuesday, Harrow travel to play a team born out of the ashes of the old Enfield at a different stadium a few hundred metres to the north. They play in parallel seventh-tier leagues but the Towners are pushing for promotion while Boro are fighting the drop. The hosts should win but will they have other priorities on their mind? The winners will play Brentford B or Hayes & Yeading United in the final

CCL Premier North
Egham Town v Hilltop @745pm - game of the day in the ninth tier sees the Sarnies welcome Hilltop. With their roots primarily in London's Somali community, the visitors have been climbing the divisions fairly swiftly and this is the first season they've spent at this level. They come into this week in the top six, a superb achievement, and that's realistically about as high as they will finish given there's a 10-point gap between themselves and Burnham in fifth. Egham are in the top four and trail leaders Ascot by 11 points with 10 games to go - the title looks unlikely but the runners-up spot is definitely within their grasp
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Wednesday 15 March

FA Women's Super League
Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City @745pm - there's a huge relegation six-pointer in the WSL where Spurs, the division's most out-of-form team, simply have to avoid defeat. The Foxes have been bottom pretty much all season but seven points from their last five games mean they're just a win away from moving above Brighton and Tottenham

Premier League International Cup Quarter-Final
Fulham v Sparta Prague @7pm - the Cottagers' U21 side have made it through to the knockout stages of this European competition played entirely on British soil over the course of the season. If you're interested, Crystal Palace and Liverpool play each other in the other remaining quarter-final whilst PSV and Valencia have already gone through. This match will be played at Motspur Park and tickets are available on the gate for no more than £5

CCL Premier North
Balham v Jersey Bulls @745pm - friend of the blog Emil Kot is a coach at Balham and it's been interesting to follow his tweets as his side have gone on a 14-game unbeaten run in the league. Sadly six of the games have been draws meaning they're still in midtable but they've become incredibly tough to beat. Jersey are the biggest club in the league, although Farnham Town are pushing them close, and a visit from them is always a big occasion. Often pushing for the title, they're in the top four and by no means out of it
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Thursday 16 March

Europa League
Arsenal v Sporting Lisbon @8pm - after drawing the first leg 2-2 in Portugal last week, the Gunners have a great chance of making it into the quarter-finals. They warmed up for it by brushing Fulham aside with a very impressive performance at Craven Cottage on Sunday. Sporting are fourth in their league and can't be written off but it looks like being a tough night for them. Tickets are not available

Europa Conference League
West Ham United v AEK Larnaca @8pm - after winning last week's away leg 2-0, a place in the quarter-finals is West Ham's for the taking. David Moyes' side extended their unbeaten run against Aston Villa to 10 games with their draw against them on Sunday and they should make smooth progress here. Tickets

Professional Development League
QPR v Charlton Athletic @7pm - if you're on a bit of a tight budget, then the glamorous European ties above might be out of your reach at the moment. Instead, you could watch this U21 game at Hanwell Town's ground for a fiver

Middlesex Senior Youth Cup Final
Uxbridge v Cockfosters @730pm - I discovered this U18 match by accident the other day when I was browsing the Middlesex FA's website. The most prestigious county cup at this age group is taking place at Bedfont Sports near Heathrow
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Friday 17 March

Premier League 2
Chelsea v Everton @7pm - seemingly one of the busiest stadia in London with a grass pitch, Kingsmeadow hosts this U21 game on Friday. Having seen off Liverpool 3-1 on Saturday lunchtime to go top of PL2, they'll hope to do something similar to the Toffees. Tickets are £5

Essex Senior League
Ilford v Romford @745pm - in the ninth tier there's an east London derby at Cricklefields. Both sides are in lower midtable but the hosts will probably just about start as favourites
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Saturday 18 March

Premier League
Brentford v Leicester City @3pm - the Bees suffered their first defeat in a while on Saturday, losing 1-0 to Everton at Goodison Park. Despite this, they remain ninth and are 14 points clear of the relegation zone. Currently on the legendary 38 points usually required to avoid the drop, grabbing a place in Europe is still a realistic target. Sadly the same can't be said for Leicester who just can't break free from the relegation dogfight. Saturday's loss at home to Chelsea saw them end the day with only goal difference keeping them out of the bottom three. Tickets are only available to members
Chelsea v Everton @530pm - after picking up precious wins on Saturday, both these sides should come into this with renewed confidence. Unlike Brentford, the Blues have still to reach the 38-point mark after a great week which also saw them knock Borussia Dortmund out of the Champions League. The Toffees have a lot more about them since the appointment of Sean Dyche and seven points from their last five has seen them climb to 15th. Tickets are not available

Championship
Millwall v Huddersfield Town @3pm - after winning his first match in charge, veteran boss Neil Warnock has now seen his Terriers side go four without a victory. Joint bottom and six points adrift of safety, it's not looking good for the Yorkshire club. The Lions, in need of points to continue their promotion push, are unlikely to show them any charity either. Tickets
QPR v Birmingham City @3pm - the R's finally brought their lengthy winless run to an end on Saturday when they beat local rivals Watford 1-0 at Loftus Road. It was a huge moment for new boss Gareth Ainsworth who'd overseen consecutive 3-1 defeats to Blackburn and Rotherham in his first two games. On Tuesday they have a long trip to struggling Blackpool before coming back home to play another side who are also having a season to forget. Led by former QPR coach John Eustace, the Blues are on level points with them and won the reverse fixture 2-0 in October. Tickets
Watford v Wigan Athletic @3pm - as mentioned above, the Hornets are looking to start impressing under new manager Chris Wilder. After the loss at QPR, they have consecutive home games against two of the division's strugglers. If they don't pick up any points here, the latest man in the Vicarage Road hotseat could suffer an even quicker exit than most of his predecessors. Tickets

League Two
AFC Wimbledon v Crawley Town @3pm - the Dons can't buy a win at the moment, with Saturday's loss at Doncaster their fourth on the bounce. Thankfully they have a 13-point cushion to rest on above the relegation zone so in effect, their season is over. Crawley have had a dreadful season but gave themselves a chance of avoiding the drop by beating Harrogate on Saturday. Tickets
Leyton Orient v Colchester United @3pm - the O's had their match at Mansfield postponed on Saturday, allowing second placed Carlisle to cut the gap to eight points. The top three go up automatically and the gap between Richie Wellens' side and fourth place Northampton is 12 points so they can still afford a few bad results. Colchester were having an horrific season, seemed to turn things round but have now lost four in a row and are coming into the sights of the bottom two again. Tickets 

National League
Barnet v Notts County @3pm - there's a monster programme of action in the fifth tier on Saturday with this match between two of the top six topping the bill. Both former EFL sides would dearly love a return to League Two but with leaders Wrexham looking increasingly likely to claim the only automatic promotion place, only one of these sides will have any chance of joining them. Neck-and-neck with the Welsh club until a couple of weeks ago, a loss to Dagenham & Redbridge and draw with Bromley has seen Notts County fall four points behind in what is a two-horse race (third place Woking are 19 points behind). They'll be hoping for some good news from Hayes Lane...
Bromley v Wrexham @3pm - having taken a point off Notts County last week, the Ravens will hope to do something similar here. Famous for their Hollywood owners, the visitors are looking pretty formidable right now and are second only to Boreham Wood in the form table. Bromley are losing their form at a bad time and now two without a win, they're down tenth at the time of writing
Dagenham & Redbridge v Oldham Athletic @3pm - last but not least, the Daggers welcome former Premier League opposition to the Chigwell Construction Stadium. Both have become models of inconsistency in recent weeks and unless something can be done to correct that, then midtable mediocrity beckons

Isthmian League Premier
Haringey Borough v Hornchurch @3pm - the hosts haven't had many mentions this season because they haven't really done very much. They're certainly not pushing for promotion and they look to have done enough to avoid the drop. This game is more about you getting the chance to take a look at the Urchins who look more and more like this season's champions. A comfortable 4-1 win over Brightlingsea on Saturday saw them go two points clear at the top with two games in hand

Isthmian League South Central
Tooting & Mitcham United v Sutton Common Rovers @3pm - after advising you to go and watch two of the top three play last week, this time I'm asking you to head to Imperial Fields to see the bottom two have a good old scrap - it's a derby too

CCL Premier South
Raynes Park Vale v Abbey Rangers @3pm - the hosts have been leading the way for a while but, at the time of writing, are still only three points clear of Badshot Lea. Also still in contention are third placed Abbey Rangers who hail from the Addlestone/Chertsey area. The visitors are six points behind and have played more games so they really have to win to stay in the race

SCEFL Division 1
Tooting Bec v Faversham Strike Force - two go up in this division but only the champions enjoy automatic promotion. The teams who finish second to fifth fight it out in the play-offs. The hosts are currently three points adrift of fifth but have two games in hand. The eye-catchingly named visitors are fourth so winning here would be hugely important for both
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Sunday 19 March

Premier League
Arsenal v Crystal Palace @2pm - as a result of a Europa League game on Thursday, the Gunners are playing Sunday football again. Their incredibly impressive win at Fulham saw them end the week five points clear at the top after Palace narrowly lost 1-0 to their main title rivals Manchester City. Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira manages the Eagles and although they're still 12th despite a lengthy winless run, the bottom half of the table is ridiculously tight with only five points separating the bottom nine clubs. Has it ever been that tight so late in the season? Tickets are not available

FA Women's Championship
London City Lionesses v Bristol City @2pm - it's Women's FA Cup Quarter-Final weekend meaning there are no WSL games and all four ties are being played outside London. As a result, the biggest women's game of the day in the capital is this massive match between the top two in the second tier. With only the eventual champions getting promoted, the stakes are high. It was incredibly close until about a month ago but LCL lost the reverse fixture in Bristol 3-1 and then lost at home to Sheffield United last weekend. Consequently, Bristol City are six points clear - a win here will put them nine points ahead and effectively end the title race

FAWNL Southern Premier Division
Watford v Oxford United @2pm - fourth and third, at the time of writing, both these sides have the games in hand to go top if won. Both have one of those games in hand in midweek and if won, this will be a battle of fourth and first

Capital Women's Senior Cup Semi-Final
AFC Wimbledon v Ashford Town (Middlesex) @3pm - with Hashtag United seeing their match at QPR postponed on Sunday, the Dons took full advantage with their hardfought win at Cambridge United putting them top of the FAWNL Division 1 South East for possibly the first time this season. With only one team going up, promotion is everything to a club like Wimbledon so how strong a team they'll put out for this match is unclear. Ashford will coast to a midtable finish so picking up a nice bit of silverware must surely be their priority. They also won this competition last season so will want to defend their title

ERWFL Premier Division
Haringey Borough v Luton Town @2pm - for some reason, Haringey have ended up in a fifth-tier division that's not really for London clubs and consequently I haven't mentioned them much this season. However, they're currently fourth with some games in hand and have an outside chance of the title. Although back in fifth, Luton are looking like the team to beat. This is because they have five games in hand which, if won, would put them well clear at the top. If the hosts can win this, it will keep their promotion hopes alive

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 


Sunday, 5 March 2023

TLFG: 6-12 March 2023

Hi there and welcome to this week's TLFG.

I'm afraid to say that as a result of going to Sunday's Women's League Cup Final and with an early shift at work on Monday, this week's piece is very much a work in progress.

So far you've got the match maps and previews for Monday and Tuesday but that's it - I'll aim to add the rest over the next day or two.

I've actually managed two matches this week.

First up, I went to Hanwell Town against Harrow Borough on Tuesday - yes, I saw the Geordies twice in three days, and you can hear my podcast about here.

This year's Non-League Day is fast approaching

This was followed today (Sunday) with a trip to Selhurst Park for the Women's League Cup Final (a.k.a. the Continental Cup) between Arsenal and Chelsea.

I took my daughter as part of a group of 20 made up primarily by people from her club but also a few from her school team too.

For some, it was their first ever football match so it was a big occasion for them.

Chelsea have been the dominant team in English women's football for the last few years - they've been league champions in five of the last seven seasons, have won three of the last five FA Cup finals and two of the last three League Cup Finals.

Arsenal, on the other hand, hadn't won any title of any kind since the league in 2018/19.

The sides met last weekend in the Women's FA Cup at Kingsmeadow and the Blues won 2-0.

So when Emma Hayes' side went ahead after 90 seconds, it looked pretty ominous for the Gunners.

Amazingly that's not how it panned out.

The north London club kept going, equalised in the 16th minute and found themselves with a commanding 3-1 lead at the break and it was much deserved.

I missed a chunk of the second half, ferrying children to the toilet - the queues were bonkers at half-time but I don't think I missed a huge amount.

Arsenal seemed to control things well and although Chelsea threw more at it in the closing stages and forced a few routine saves from Manuela Zinsberger, it never really looked in doubt.

The final whistle saw joyous celebrations from Arsenal's players and fans, who seemed to provide the majority of the record attendance (at 19,010 it was about 11,000 more than last year).

Apart from their very early goal, Chelsea didn't look their usual selves and many will say this competition was their lowest priority.

There are several designs in the Non-League Day t-shirt range and you can choose your own colours

However, winning the quadruple of Champions League, League, FA Cup and League Cup would've cemented the impressive Emma Hayes's legacy in Chelsea history and I'm sure she'll be disappointed.

As for my daughter and her friends, they had an amazing afternoon and can't wait for the next match.

My only gripe about the day was getting home.

The queue for Selhurst station after the game was huge and we ended up walking to East Croydon instead - a distance of around 2km.

It seemed like a good decision as the walking kept us warm, we got on a train with ease and got seats but when we got to Selhurst there was virtually no-one there. Where did they all go???

There's a 7pm kick-off at Silver Jubilee Park which means you can see three games on Saturday

Anyway, the week ahead will probably see far less live action with most of my spare time concentrated on preparing for this year's Non-League Day on 25 March.

Our match map, with nearly 450 games, covers the whole country so you can use it to find your nearest one which is taking place on the day.

Over the past week we've also launched our new pin badge and have relaunched our range of t-shirts which some of you, particularly of a groudhopping persuasion, might rather like.

A percentage of the proceeds goes to Prostate Cancer UK so you'll be helping a good cause too.

Lastly this week, many thanks to Paul N from Yorkshire who donated to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund - I really appreciate it. 

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include games in the Premier League, EFL, National League, Women's Super League and many other games in our local non-league and women's competitions.

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, by day, 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 6 March

Premier League
Brentford v Fulham @8pm - the week begins with a derby between the current top two in west London. Fans of both sides will probably be pinching themselves that their clubs currently outrank Chelsea and QPR who were the big two in this part of town when I was growing up. This will be the first time the sides have played at the GTech Stadium in front of a full house - the last time was during the Covid period and the Bees won 3-0 in a cup match. As for this season, the Cottagers won the reverse fixture 3-2 and are currently four points ahead. Tickets are not available

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Liverpool @7pm - if you can't get into the match above then this U21 game at Boreham Wood's ground provides a decent alternative. The Gunners are winless in four but could climb back above the Reds into the top four with a win here. Admission is often free but it won't be more than £5

Isthmian League Cup Semi-Final
Aveley v Chatham Town @745pm - the one non-league option of the night looks decent too. Over at Parkside, the team who are second in the Isthmian Premier host the side who are second in the Isthmian South East with a place in a final up for grabs

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Tuesday 7 March

UEFA Champions League
Chelsea v Borussia Dortmund @8pm - miles behind in the league and out of all the domestic cups, the Champions League is the Blues' only chance of silverware this season. Having lost the first leg 1-0, victory here isn't impossible but Dortmund are the most in-form team in the Bundesliga right now so it's going to be very tough. Tickets are only available to members

League Two
Sutton United v Crawley Town @745pm - the U's extended their unbeaten run to seven matches but only after grabbing an injury-time equaliser against Crewe on Saturday. Only four points adrift of the play-off places, they'll expect to pick up three points here against a poor Crawley team who have lost five on the bounce. Tickets

Professional Development League
QPR v Swansea City @7pm - on the west side of town, we have some U21 football taking place at Hanwell Town's ground. There is a small charge to watch games here but it won't be more than £5

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Wrexham @745pm - there's a busy night of action in the fifth tier but this is definitely the standout game for me. Having recently moved to the top of the table, the visitors and their Hollywood owners are hoping they'll finally make it back into the EFL this year. Relegated in 2008, I heard somewhere a while ago that they're the longest serving team in this division which would be a quite remarkable fact if true. One of the reasons they are top is that the Daggers beat their main title rivals Notts County just over a week ago so they might not have it all their own way. Tickets

Isthmian League Premier
Hornchurch v Kingstonian @745pm - the Urchins only managed to draw with Lewes on Saturday, to miss the chance to go second. If they win this, they could go joint top. On paper they should as the K's are in the bottom five. However, the Surrey club's crucial win at bottom club Brightlingsea on Saturday saw them move nine points clear of the bottom four

Isthmian League South Central
Northwood v Binfield @745pm - match of the day in the eighth tier sees two of the division's top six meet at Chestnut Avenue. Both sides picked up useful wins at the weekend to keep in the hunt for a play-off place

Essex Senior League Cup Second Round
Redbridge v Enfield @745pm - there are several great games in the ninth tier on Tuesday but this cup match between the top two in the Essex Senior League should be well worth 90 minutes of your time

CCL Division 1
Bedfont v RB Kensington @745pm - over by Heathrow, two of the top eight in this 10th-tier division looks like your best choice at this level. The visitors could break into the top four with a win here
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Wednesday 8 March

UEFA Champions League
Tottenham Hotspur v AC Milan @8pm - one of the matches of the week takes place at the THS where Spurs welcome the reigning champions of Italy. After around a decade in the wilderness, the Rossoneri roared back into everyone's attention by winning Serie A last season. Sadly for them, they've dropped off again and fell to fifth after losing to Fiorentina at the weekend. These two actually look pretty even and with the first leg ending 1-0 to Milan, it's all to play for here. Tickets are only available to members

SCEFL Premier
Phoenix Sports v Erith Town @745pm - apart from the game above, all your other men's options are in the ninth and tenth tiers on Wednesday. The pick of the action in the ninth tier is this match between the sides in second and third. Four wins on the bounce have seen the hosts push the Dockers down to third and they look really strong at the moment

National League U19 Alliance
Brentford v Barnet @2pm - if you want to see two games you could begin by watching this youth game in Gunnersbury Park. Admission is free and you should just be able to stroll up and watch

FA Women's Super League
Arsenal v Liverpool @715pm - there's a fine selection of elite women's football on Wednesday too. Fresh from winning the League Cup on Sunday, the Gunners return to action at Boreham Wood with this match against the Reds. A whopping nine points adrift of leaders Manchester United but with two games in hand, they really have to win here to have any chance of staying in title contention. Tickets have sold out
Chelsea v Brighton & Hove Albion @745pm - in south-west London, the Blues will want to bounceback from their League Cup Final defeat ASAP and they have a great chance against struggling Brighton. Like Arsenal, they need to win their games in hand to make sure of staying in the title race and they should see off the Seagulls with relative ease. Tickets

Women's County Match
Middlesex v Essex @745pm - I'm not a huge expert on county representative football but matches do happen fairly often and look well worth a watch. The Middlesex side primarily feature players from local fourth tier clubs like Actonians, Ashford Town and QPR. It's being played at Bedfont Sports near Heathrow Airport
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Thursday 9 March

U18 Matches
There are a number of U18 games in various leagues around the capital on Thursday night. Cockfosters, Harrow Borough (at Harefield United), Metropolitan Police, North Greenford United and West Essex all play host so pick the one that's best for you
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Friday 10 March

Essex Senior League
Barking v FC Clacton @745pm - there are a couple of games in this ninth-tier division on Friday. Both sides here are currently in the top six so this match shades it for me but a trip to the other game at Buckhurst Hill shouldn't be discounted as it's a new ground for many and it's easy to reach by public transport
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Saturday 11 March

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Nottingham Forest @3pm - Spurs' disappointing 0-0 draw with AC Milan saw them knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday night and means that securing a place in the top four is now all they have to fight for. Although currently fourth, Liverpool and Newcastle who are immediately behind them both have games in hand so any slip up will be incredibly costly. Games featuring Forest are tough to call - in recent weeks they've been thrashed by West Ham but drawn with Manchester City. Spurs won the reverse fixture at the City Ground 2-0 back in August but lost 2-0 at the same venue in the League Cup three months later. Overall, the stats predict a home win but I think there could be something in this for the visitors. Tickets are only available to members

Crystal Palace v Manchester City @530pm - the Eagles can't buy a win at the moment and although there have been some notable draws, they haven't tasted victory in 2023. City, of course, are still very much in the hunt for the title but they uncharacteristically dropped four points in February which means they trail leaders Arsenal by five points as they come into this. Although a home win looks unlikely, Palace have one of the better records against City over the last five years beating them twice and picking up draws on two other occasions. Tickets are not available to non-members

Championship
QPR v Watford @3pm - talking of woeful runs, the R's one takes some beating. Despite bringing in new boss Gareth Ainsworth, the defeats have kept on coming and their winless run now goes back to 17 December. Top of the table in October, their current form if it continues will probably see them relegated. Talking of managerial changes, the Hornets fired Slaven Bilic in midweek and made Chris Wilder their ninth boss since they sacked Javi Gracia in 2019. In recent years, QPR have only lost three of their last 10 against Watford but a fourth defeat looks on the cards here. Tickets

League One
Charlton Athletic v Accrington Stanley @3pm - now four games without a win and 20 points adrift of the play-off places, the Addicks' season looks pretty much over. However, being only eight points above the relegation zone means they can't take their feet off the gas just yet. If they are to be much more certain of staying up, then they must been Stanley who are one point above the bottom four. Tickets

Premier League 2
Chelsea v Liverpool @1pm - with this U21 game at Kingsmeadow kicking off so early, it should be possible for you to do a triple on Saturday. You could easily combine this with the Isthmian League game at Corinthian Casuals before heading north to watch Edgware Town at 7pm. Other combinations are available depending on your mode of transport. As for this match, the sides are second and third in the PL2 so this should be a decent game. Tickets are £5  UPDATE -  since writing this, the kick-off time has moved from midday to 1pm meaning it's going to be a lot harder to get to that second game. If you have a car, Corinthian Casuals could still be reachable though

National League
Boreham Wood v Gateshead @3pm - four consecutive wins have taken the Wood back into the top six. By contrast, the Heed have managed only one win from their last five and they're down in the bottom four. The reverse fixture on Tyneside ended in a 1-1 draw back in September

National League South
Dulwich Hamlet v Havant & Waterlooville @3pm - after a series of poor results, the Hamlet sacked their second manager of the season. Paul Barnes made way for seasoned non-league boss Hakan Hayrettin fresh from his sacking by Maidstone United. Game one saw a valuable 1-0 win over St Albans before they travelled to Chelmsford on Monday night and lost 5-1. Havant are in the top five but on a stinking run of their own and could be there for the taking. As with all Dulwich games, you're strongly advised to buy tickets in advance as they do sell out

Isthmian League Premier
Aveley v Folkestone Invicta @3pm - game of the day in the seventh tier sees the two top clubs in the ILP form table meet at Parkside. Although the hosts are second and poised to potentially go top if they win, Folkestone are the team in the best form and could break into the top six if they triumph

Isthmian League South Central
Northwood v Basingstoke Town @3pm - the big game in the eighth tier sees third play first. With the hosts trailing Basingstoke by 15 points, their already incredibly slim title hopes will surely end if they lose here. Elsewhere in the division, there's also a big derby between Chertsey Town and Walton & Hersham who are also both in the top six. The visitors in that one are also Basingstoke's only realistic title challengers so there's plenty to play for there too

CCL Premier North
Edgware & Kingsbury v Egham Town @7pm - in the ninth tier I'm focusing on this game mainly for the late kick-off time which makes it accessible to most fans looking for a second or third game on Saturday. It's kicking off late because Hendon, who they groundshare with, are also playing at home at 3pm. Not only can you see two games at Silver Jubilee Park but if you do, you'll get into the second game for just £3. Apart from the price, they're both in the top eight

CCL Division 1
London Samurai Rovers v Sandhurst Town @3pm - LSR are a team to watch. With their roots in the capital's Japanese community, they're unbeaten in eight and climbing the table fast. The goals are flowing too with the last three games seeing them net 16 whilst only conceding two. Although it's going well, Sandhurst could really give them something to think about. Currently seventh, they have games in hand on all those above them and could go well clear at the top if they win them
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Sunday 12 March

Premier League
Fulham v Arsenal @2pm - the week might be coming to an end but there's no sign of the live action winding down. Top of the bill is this intriguing derby between sides who are faring much better than many would've expected. Despite the setback of their defeat against Brentford on Monday, the Cottagers are still sitting pretty in seventh with their fans probably pinching themselves that they're even close to that position. The Gunners are top and have one of the most one sided head-to-head records between Premier League clubs I've ever seen. Since they first in an FA Cup tie in 1904, Fulham have only beaten Arsenal eight times in 60 attempts. Mikel Arteta's team have more resolve than some Arsenal squads, but they still don't have the impregnability or fear factor of some of the great sides that have dominated this league over the years - Fulham have a chance. Tickets are not available
West Ham United v Aston Villa @2pm - on the east side of town, the Hammers have a very important game against Villa. Manager David Moyes is under huge pressure after their abject performance against Brighton and many have said his job could depend upon a good result here. Villa, for me, have gone a bit under the radar over the last few months with Unai Emery steadying the ship nicely after Steven Gerrard's dismissal. Now well clear of the relegation zone, they have far less on their shoulders and could use that to their advantage. However, West Ham's record against the Birmingham club is superb - they've won their last five and are unbeaten in nine against them. Tickets are available

FA Women's Super League
Chelsea v Manchester United @1230pm - on the women's side of things,there's loads on offer with three top-flight games strung out across the day. First up is this monster fixture between the reigning champions and the current leaders. The Blues beat Brighton on Wednesday night to put themselves just a point behind United with a game in hand. The visitors, who are relatively new to the WSL, have never found themselves in this position before so it will be interesting to see how they handle the situation. The reverse fixture ended in a 3-1 win for Chelsea and they'll be hoping for some more of the same at Kingsmeadow. Unsurprisingly, it's sold out
West Ham United v Aston Villa @3pm - these two fought all the way to a thrilling penalty shoot-out in the FA Cup two weeks ago which Villa edged 7-6. The sides also produced a fiery contest at Walsall's ground in October which saw a mass brawl leading to players and management staff being sent off. Villa made a number of really good signings in January and are in better form - they should get at least a point. Tickets
Arsenal v Reading @645pm - the day's WSL action concludes with this game at Boreham Wood. On paper, this game looks the easiest to call with the Gunners starting as strong favourites. Buoyed by their League Cup win over Chelsea and a comfortable victory over Liverpool in midweek, Jonas Eidevall's side appear to be getting their mojo back. The Royals have only won three league games this season and will do well to get anything here. Tickets

FA Women's Championship
London City Lionesses v Lewes @2pm - after their shock loss to struggling Sheffield United on Sunday, LCL were left in second but six points behind leaders Bristol City. With only one club going up and top clubs rarely slipping up, it looks like the south London side may have missed their opportunity. If they are to have any chance, then they simply have to win this. Lewes are the epitome of a midtable team but for them it's now all about the FA Cup where they've sensationally made the quarter-finals and are the lowest-ranked team left in it. All they have to do to make the semi-finals is beat the current WSL leaders Manchester United who visit the Dripping Pan next weekend. Tickets

FAWNL Division 1 South East
QPR v Hashtag United @2pm - two major events have occurred in this division over the last couple of weeks. Firstly, leaders Hashtag United got thrashed 4-0 at home by AFC Wimbledon. The Dons have been their main challengers for most of the season but the 11-point gap between them seemed unassailable so even this emphatic victory felt more symbolic than anything else. However, a few days later, bottom club Hounslow folded and saw all their results expunged from the record books. Rather alarmingly for the Tags, this now left them only two points ahead of the Dons with six games to go. How the Essex club respond to this big psychological blow will be incredibly interesting to see. Previously, the R's were the kind of side Hashtag would dispatch with ease but will they now?
London Seaward v Actonians @2pm - currently third and fifth, these two clubs are the only ones in the division who have no association with a men's club and are striving hard to do things on their own. The hosts, who play at Wadham Lodge in Walthamstow, have surged up the table in recent weeks but will probably find breaking into the top two just beyond them in the remaining time
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Norwich City @2pm - the Tangerines are another side who have picked up some eye-catching results in the last few weeks, most notably their 2-0 win at London Seaward on Sunday. Norwich were among the frontrunners for the first few months of the season but two heavy losses to Hashtag, defeat to London Seaward and only a point against AFC Wimbledon  have seen them drop out of contention. A top-four finish looks like the best they can hope for


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!

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