Monday 25 February 2019

TLFG: 25 February - 3 March 2019

I've been fortunate enough to have enjoyed a few days off this week which allowed me to gorge myself on not one but two games - almost unheard of for me!

On Tuesday I went to see an ailing QPR side take on a promotion chasing West Brom.

Things began badly with an early goal for the visitors and Rangers proceeded to get steadily worse from that point. However, a second goal didn't materialise and we somehow got level through Luke Freeman and could have even been ahead at half-time.

Another woeful error under no pressure by Joel Lynch lead to the Baggies retaking the lead against the run of play but again QPR fought back with substitute Tomer Hemed winning and converting a controversial penalty.

Steve McClaren's side looked capable of winning it at this point but with around 10 minutes to go and all subs used, play-maker Freeman limped off and we had to hang on with 10 men which we did until the last kick - Jake Livermore scoring from close range after earlier surviving a very strong red card appeal against him.

Ryan Moss goes in search of a fifth goal during Harrow Borough's emphatic win over Poole

It was heartbreaking for the players and extended their losing run to six games - it became seven on Saturday when they unsurprisingly lost at Middlesbrough and it could become eight when they welcome a talented Leeds side on Tuesday.

The run of fixtures has been tough - eight in February against most of the top clubs and a good Premier League side in the FA Cup - so hopefully things will calm down a bit in March and we'll get the three or four points we need to get us to the tally that usually sees teams stay up.

On Saturday I went to watch Harrow Borough take on Poole Town (Charlie Austin's former club) who had recently replaced the Boro in the play-off places.

Steve Baker's side were also going through a dodgy patch so I wasn't hugely confident.

The first half hour was close enough until a goalkeeping error gifted Frank Keita an opening goal.

After the break he grabbed another and Anthony O'Connor also netted a brace as Harrow ran out 4-0 winners in what became a pretty comfortable win.

Credit to Poole though whose heads never seemed to drop and kept going until the final whistle despite never seriously threatening.

For a much fuller report and some great photos visit 'The Grass Roots Tourist' blog - you might even see a cheeky photo of me.

Talking of photos, I switched to a new phone recently (Huawei P20), did a bit of basic research on camera shutter speeds and my pictures have improved hugely - they've even been used on Harrow's website after yesterday's game. What an honour!

Sticking with the subject of Harrow Borough, on Tuesday they defeated local rivals Hayes & Yeading United on penalties to make it to the Middlesex Senior Cup Final in April which this year will be played at Griffin Park against either Brentford B or Barnet. What a great opportunity for everyone involved with the club given the famous old ground will be shut at the end of next season.

It's been great to hear from quite a few of you this week with your comments, questions and updates.

Whether you've been to the Carabao Cup Final or Clapton CFC it's been great to learn about your travels and adventures watching the capital's clubs.

I also received an email from an amateur club in Catalonia who are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year and coming to London between the 5-7 April and are looking for a friendly as part of those celebrations. I've told them that finding an opponent over a weekend could be tricky but if your club are without a game and you'd be interested in hosting UE Sant Miquel then let me know.

I'm back to work this week so there won't be any live action for me.

Lastly this week, many thanks to Bryan and Cat D who donated to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund this week. I really really appreciate it.

To recap, I recently received the news that my Dad has lung cancer. This condition also claimed the lives of my Mum and grandfather so with me powerless to do anything medically to help him, I've decided to ask for all donations to this blog to go to the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation which you can contribute to through the fundraising page I've set up. 

Anyway, enough about me - enjoy your football and keep in touch.


THE WEEK AHEAD
The highlights of the next few days include action in the Premier League, EFL and loads of action in our local non-league competitions. There are also some eye-catching U23 matches too.

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 - magenta 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 25 February

Premier League Cup
Charlton Athletic v Peterborough United @1pm - with this match kicking off at lunchtime, it's very easy to do a 'double' on Monday and see two games. This U23 game is being played at Greenwich Borough's ground in south-east London. This competition is coming towards the end of the group stage and sadly neither of these sides have any chance of making progress

National League South
Wealdstone v Billericay Town @745pm - the biggest game of the day takes place at Grosvenor Vale over in Ruislip where two of the top eight do battle. Both sides are in great form so it should be well worth a watch

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Tuesday 26 February

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Leeds United @745pm - QPR's hectic February schedule (eight games in the month) continues with a tough match against title-chasing Leeds. After a purple patch earlier in the season, things have gone badly wrong for Steve McClaren's team who have lost seven in a row in the league to go bottom of the division's form table. With three wins from five, Leeds are by no means invincible and Rangers did beat them in the FA Cup a few weeks ago but with morale presumably low, the hosts will probably be overjoyed to get a draw - tickets are available

National League
Barnet v Chesterfield @745pm - after their lengthy runs in the FA Cup and FA Trophy, the Bees have a number of league games to make up. Chesterfield got relegated from the EFL alongside Barnet last season and, despite a great start, have really struggled. However with three wins from five, their results have improved a lot in recent weeks and they're now out of the relegation zone but only just. The hosts, on the other hand, are just above them but really struggling to find a win. It's a highly important game for both and it really could go either way

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South
Hendon v Weymouth @745pm - with only one win in 15 games (all competitions) the Greens welcome third place Weymouth for another very tough match. In recent weeks Hendon have taken points off decent sides like Salisbury and Merthyr Town and they'll also no doubt be hoping the Dorset side's near 300-mile midweek round trip will take its toll on their players

Friendly
Tooting & Mitcham United v Crystal Palace U23 @730pm - with the Eagles having seen their match against Watford postponed, fellow south Londoners T&MU have stepped in at short notice to make sure they get a game. Adult tickets are available on the gate for £5 - check all the details with the club before you travel as they can change at short notice

A bit further afield
If you're in the mood for a bit of U23 football with a European flavour, head north to Stevenage where Tottenham Hotspur take on Dinamo Zagreb at 7pm in the quarter-finals of the Premier League International Cup. Adult tickets are £5 and can be bought in advance 
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Wednesday 27 February

Premier League
Arsenal v AFC Bournemouth @745pm - it's a big night of top-flight football in London on Wednesday with three games, sadly none of which you'll be able to get tickets for without serious expense (i.e. via the black market or hospitality). Arsenal comfortably beat Southampton on Saturday to climb back into the top four at Manchester United's expense. The Cherries are winless in three and have only beaten the Gunners once in their entire history so a home win looks almost certain
Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur @8pm - the game of the night would appear to be this derby at Stamford Bridge. The Blues suffered defeat on penalties in Sunday's Carabao Cup Final against Manchester City so they'll either be really down coming into this or will be fired up and ready to erase the memory. All is not well between the manager and some of his players so the hosts will do well to beat a far happier Spurs squad who suffered a shock defeat at Burnley over the weekend. It's a tough one to call and I'll boringly go with a 1-1 draw
Crystal Palace v Manchester United @8pm - at first glance most would immediately expect an away win. United are in good form and way further up the table than their hosts, historically their head-to-head record is vastly superior and Palace are winless in 12 against them. However, Roy Hodgson's team are on a decent little run of form at the moment. Unbeaten in four in the league and through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, this side drew the reverse fixture at Old Trafford and are more than capable of causing an upset

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Cray Valley PM v AFC Croydon Athletic @745pm - the hosts sensationally made it through to the FA Vase semi-finals on Saturday which means they're now just two legs away from a Wembley cup final. As a result of this cup run they've got a few games to make up on those around them with a win here possibly lifting them up to third

Thurlow Nunn League Division 1 South
Lopes Tavares v Fire United @745pm - there's a 10th tier groundshare derby taking place at the Terence McMillan Stadium in Newham on Wednesday. Neither side are having a great season but with both having links to and fielding numerous players from Brazil it should be interesting

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Thursday 28 February

Middlesex Senior Cup Semi-Final
Barnet v Brentford B @745pm - as far as I can tell, this is pretty much the only senior men's game going on anywhere in the country. For me it's of huge significance as the winners will play my beloved Harrow Borough in the final at Griffin Park in April. With Barnet having league games on Tuesday and Saturday, the chances of them playing anything other than a reserve or U23 side are remote but technically it is listed by the Middlesex FA as a first-team game for the hosts. Adult tickets are £4

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Friday 1 March

Premier League 2 and Professional Development League
Friday has a great selection of U23 action which is staggered throughout the day meaning you'll easily be able to see two games. To make things even better, the matches featuring Charlton Athletic and QPR are being played at The Valley and Loftus Road respectively although you'll have to pick one as they both start at 2pm. Watford have a game against Millwall at Wingate & Finchley's ground at 3pm whilst Fulham entertain Newcastle at their training ground, which is open to the public, at 7pm. As always, check all the details before you travel

A bit further afield
If you're prepared to travel beyond the M25, the U23 game of the day sees Tottenham Hotspur make another trip up to Stevenage to play Chelsea. It kicks-off at 7pm and adult tickets are £5 which can be bought in advance

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Saturday 2 March

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal @1230pm  - there are some big games in London this week but this is definitely the biggest. The 'North London Derby' is always a huge occasion but one that has historically been dominated by the Gunners - they are 19 wins ahead in a rivalry which dates back to 1909. The sides have played twice at the Emirates already this season with Arsenal winning the league game and Spurs the Carabao Cup one. Normally tickets are like goldust but given it's at Wembley and there's a much bigger capacity, if you got yourself on the Tottenham ticket database before the 1 August 2018 then you'll be in with a chance of getting one when they go on restricted general sale on Monday (25 Feb) at 10am
West Ham United v Newcastle United @530pm - if you can't get one for the derby above then West Ham won't let you down. The Hammers have become one of the go-to clubs this season if you want to buy a Premier League ticket with pretty much every match having some availability for non-members. With the midtable hosts having little to play for even at this relatively early stage, the visit of a side with a reputation for 'parking the bus' away from home isn't a hugely appealing one so tickets are available in most areas of the stadium

Championship
Brentford v Queens Park Rangers @3pm - talking of derbies, there's another big one over in west London. With the hosts moving to a new stadium in time for the start of the 2020/21 season this will be the penultimate time these old rivals will play each other in a league game at Griffin Park. Things were looking pretty grim for the Bees a couple of months ago but they've turned things round well and thumped Hull City 5-1 on Saturday to pretty much end any lingering relegation fears they might have had. QPR, as mentioned above, are in terrible form and haven't won in TW8 since 2003. The match is virtually sold out with any remaining tickets available to members only
Millwall v Norwich City @3pm - although not a derby, this match at The Den is of far greater importance and will have significant ramifications at either end of the table. The Lions lost comfortably at home to Preston on Saturday to remain just above the relegation zone so any points they can get here will be gratefully received. However, Norwich are going for the title and need the win to stay top. Unlike the derby at Griffin Park, tickets are on general sale

National League
Sutton United v Hartlepool United @3pm - there are three games in the fifth tier on Saturday with this the biggest of those on offer. The U's lost on Saturday to extend their winless run to three games, falling out of the play-off places in the process. With average crowds of over 3,000, former EFL club Hartlepool are one of the biggest clubs in the division but, although only four places behind, have a big points deficit to make up and will almost certainly miss out on promotion this season

National League South
Dulwich Hamlet v Dartford @3pm - the biggest crowd in the sixth tier will come at Champion Hill where the Hamlet are routinely attracting between 2,500-3,000 fans through the turnstiles. It's also important at both ends of the table with Dulwich needing a few more points to make sure of avoiding the drop and the Darts looking to make sure of a play-off spot

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South
Harrow Borough v Taunton Town @3pm - the Boro kept in touch with the play-off places by trouncing a fine Poole Town side 4-0 on Saturday to remain the top scorers in the division. If they win their midweek game in hand, they will be right back in amongst it. Taunton won promotion last season and are five points clear at the top. The Somerset side thrashed Harrow 7-0 back in December in a controversial game which saw three of the visitors' players sent off in the first half. No doubt Steve Baker's side will want to improve on that

Bostik League Premier Division
Enfield Town v Tonbridge Angels @3pm  - there should be a healthy crowd at the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium where two of the league's top six fight it out in what is a tight race for the play-offs. With around 10 games to go, most of the top 10 will feel they are still in with a chance

Bostik League South East Division
Phoenix Sports v Cray Wanderers @3pm - firmly lodged in midtable, the season is pretty much over for the hosts but they can play a small role in deciding who wins the title as they welcome current leaders Cray for this local derby. The impact they make on the title race could be minimal as Cray are way out in front but Horsham cut their lead by a point on Saturday so anything's possible - right?

Essex Senior League
Ilford v Barkingside @3pm - not a huge amount leaps out at me in the ninth tier but there is a groundshare derby at Cricklefield where the 'Side will look to get back off the bottom of the table, a position they slipped to after losing at Clapton on Saturday

Southern Counties East League Division 1
Bridon Ropes v Welling Town @3pm - for me the pick of the games in the 10th tier is this top-five clash near Charlton which probably qualifies it to be a derby too. The Boots have been top for most of the season but if the hosts win this and their games in hand then they won't be far behind
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Sunday 3 March

Premier League
Watford v Leicester City @12pm - the Hornets' great season continued on Friday night with a 5-1 away win at Cardiff. The result moved them up to seventh which, given the 10-point gap between themselves and Chelsea in sixth, is as good as it's likely to get. Leicester suffered a surprisingly heavy 4-1 loss at home to Crystal Palace over the weekend which resulted in the East Midlands club sacking their manager on Sunday after picking up just one point from six games. A home win looks highly likely unless the Foxes appoint someone quickly and enjoy a new manager bounce. The last few tickets are available to non-members
Fulham v Chelsea @205pm - with Brentford and QPR fighting it out on Saturday, the other two west London clubs meet for another derby on Sunday. Of all the big club derbies in London, these two are in closest proximity to each other with their grounds just over a mile apart. The Cottagers are second from bottom and eight points adrift of safety but this Chelsea side are in trouble at the moment and could be vulnerable if former Blues boss Claudio Ranieri can really get his players up for it. If you have a previous purchasing history with Fulham then you might be able to secure one of the last 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.

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.

Monday 18 February 2019

TLFG: 18-24 February 2019

Greetings one and all and welcome to the latest edition of TLFG.

I was on early shifts all week, starting at 0400 one day so being up writing at after midnight is starting to take its toll with my body-clock not fully adjusted yet.

Despite this, for the second week running I managed to get to a live game and another QPR one at that.

Having been to the two previous FA Cup home games against Leeds United and Portsmouth, I also managed to get a ticket for the visit of Watford.

For the first time in a while, Loftus Road was sold out for the visit of the team currently ranked eighth in the Premier League.

QPR push for an equaliser during their FA Cup Fifth Round tie against Watford
The Hornets as a similar size club who play around 15 miles north of Shepherd's Bush have always been one of QPR's main rivals.

It's not a particularly bitter relationship but it's a competitive one.

I have to look at their current status with begrudging respect - there's no way a club of their size should be holding their own quite so easily but they are and fair play to them.

The match itself was not a classic and it was settled by Watford's only shot on target just before half time when Tom Cleverley's woefully mis-hit shot fell perfectly for Etienne Capoue who fired home instinctively.

There was a lot of huff and puff from QPR throughout the second half but a fine display from veteran goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes and some inaccurate finishing from Rangers made sure it stayed 1-0.

It was disappointing that Watford decided to time waste from the moment they went ahead but overall they did a professional job and never looked rattled despite some fairly concerted pressure from the hosts.

If I were a betting man I would put a few quid on Watford to win the cup this year. I said this before the fifth round draw and although unconvincing on Friday, I've still got a good feeling about them.

In other news, it was good to see one of our local non-league clubs going viral on social media again this week.

Raynes Park Vale were hosting Horley Town in the Combined Counties League when they were awarded a penalty - watch the clip below to find out what happened next!


Lastly this week, many thanks to Kelvin and Jonny S who donated to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund this week. I really really appreciate it.

To recap, I recently received the news that my Dad has lung cancer. This condition also claimed the lives of my Mum and grandfather so with me powerless to do anything medically to help him, I've decided to ask for all donations to this blog to go to the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation which you can contribute to through the fundraising page I've set up. 

Anyway, enough about me - enjoy your football and keep in touch.


THE WEEK AHEAD
The highlights of the next few days include action in the Europa League, Premier League, EFL and loads of action in our local non-league competitions. There are also some eye-catching U23 matches too.

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 - magenta 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 18 February

FA Cup Fifth Round
Chelsea v Manchester United @730pm - the week begins with the final tie of the latest round of FA Cup matches and it is without doubt the biggest. These clubs are currently ranked third and second on the all-time winners list so have great pedigree in this competition. The Blues are the current holders and will be hoping to make the final for a third year in a row. On form a much improved United should win. Remember from this round onwards there are no replays so we'll get a winner one way or the other

Premier League 2
West Ham United v Liverpool @7pm - with tickets long sold out for the match above, your next best option is this U23 game at Dagenham & Redbridge's ground. Precise details are proving hard to get hold of so check with the Hammers on the day but adult tickets shouldn't be more than £5

Essex Senior League
Barkingside v Walthamstow @745pm - although the 'Side have done well to haul themselves off the bottom of the table, it's been three weeks since they last won a game and could badly do with another three points in their pursuit of Southend Manor who lie six points above them. The visitors are fifth and the top London club in this league. They narrowly lost to leaders Stansted on Saturday and should have too much for their hosts on Monday

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Tuesday 19 February

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v West Bromwich Albion @745pm - having played three times last week, QPR's hectic February schedule (eight games in the month) continues with a tough match against the promotion-chasing Baggies. After a purple patch earlier in the season, things have gone a bit sour for Steve McClaren's team who have lost five in a row in the league to go bottom of the division's form table. West Brom are in the top six in the real table and on form so will be incredibly tough to beat but this is the Championship and anything is possible - tickets are available

Friendly
Brentford B v Huddersfield Town @11am - you could spend the whole day watching football in west London with this late morning match against a Terriers' development side at the Bees' training ground getting things underway. Entry to these games are usually free but there are few facilities and no cover. Check whether the public will be admitted before you set off

National League
Sutton United v Barnet @745pm - there are a couple of very decent looking games in the fifth tier on Tuesday with this south v north London derby the better in my view. Sutton were left clinging on to the final play-off spot after suffering a disappointing last-minute defeat to Barrow on Saturday. Barnet meanwhile picked up a fine point at league leaders Solihull Moors but slid worryingly close to the relegation zone in the process. Hopefully it is a false position as their lengthy runs in the FA Cup and FA Trophy have seen them play between four and six league games less than the clubs around them and they should to start pulling away if they win a couple
Boreham Wood v Wrexham @745pm - in the other game it's a real David and Goliath clash as one of the smallest clubs in the division host one of the biggest. In terms of attendance (avg. 763) the Wood are tiny compared to their guests with the Welsh club playing third-tier football not all that long ago. The Dragons are currently second and will go top if they win

Middlesex Senior Cup Semi-Final
Hayes & Yeading United v Harrow Borough @745pm - these two old rivals haven't met that much in recent years as Hayes have moved up and down the divisions. H&YU are currently top of the eighth tier Bostik League South Central, a level below Boro, but have scored more and have a better home record than anyone else in the top eight tiers of English football. The last time I checked, Harrow's games had produced more goals (for and against) than any other team in the top eight tiers so this could be quite a game! Even though Steve Baker's side are the higher ranked club, they are on a poor run and recently saw star striker Dylan Kearney join Sutton United so I'd have them as the underdogs. There is also the prize of a final against either Barnet or Brentford who play each other next week

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1
Harefield United v Hillingdon Borough @745pm - the Hare won 3-1 at Wodson Park on Saturday to stay eight points clear at the top and remain unbeaten in the league this season. On Tuesday they entertain local rivals Hillingdon Borough who narrowly avoided going bust last season after former Crystal Palace player Yannick Bolasie, who began his career at the Middlesex Stadium, helped bail them out 
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Wednesday 20 February

FA Women's Super League
Arsenal v Yeovil Town @730pm - although there are a few men's non-league fixtures, the biggest two matches of the day will almost certainly be in the top flight of the women's game. First up you should get to see the Gunners return to the top when they host a pretty hapless Yeovil side who are currently bottom and in dreadful form, conceding exactly three goals a game. The match is being played at Boreham Wood
Chelsea v Bristol City @730pm - there should be a far more competitive game at Kingsmeadow where it's a case of third versus fifth. If they are to catch Manchester City and Arsenal, the Blues will have to up their goal tally considerably - they've scored less than half than the Gunners have and are well behind City too but they should be in buoyant mood after beating their north London rivals 3-0 in the FA Cup on Sunday

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Hadley v Wembley @745pm - in the ninth tier, Hadley have the chance to return to the top if they beat fellow London club Wembley. The Lions have had a pretty forgettable season but could do with a few more points to make sure of avoiding the drop

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Thursday 21 February

Europa League
Arsenal v BATE Borisov @555pm - the Gunners come into this second leg 1-0 down after losing in Belarus last week. The east European side have dominated their domestic league for years and are gradually improving on the continental stage too, doing well to finish second in Group L behind Chelsea. Unai Emery's side should still have way too much for the visitors and they should be going all out to win as it's the only silverware they've got left to play for. There are a few tickets available for this game via the club's ticket exchange but although it says they're on general sale, you usually have to be a member to use that service. See what you can figure out...
Chelsea v Malmo FF @8pm - the Blues won last week's first leg 2-1 so they should have a more straightforward night. The Swedish club don't begin their domestic league campaign until April so they're still probably not as sharp as they could be. It would be nice to think that the staggered kick-offs would allow you to do a European doubleheader on Thursday night but sadly the distance between the two grounds is too far unless you want to miss part of at least one of them. Tickets for this also appear to be sold out with the cheap prices during the half-term school holidays no doubt proving a big draw for many

FA Women's Championship
Crystal Palace v Lewes @8pm - the only alternative if you want live football is this women's second-tier game between two of the division's strugglers. Lewes have made headlines recently for becoming the first club to pay their women players the same wages as their men

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Friday 22 February

Premier League
West Ham United v Fulham @745pm - get your weekend underway with a derby at the London Stadium. Although winless in four league games, the Hammers are now in the top half and should be fairly confident of avoiding relegation. Historically 38 points are said to be enough to keep you up and they're on 33 with 12 games to go. The same can't be said of the Cottagers who are second from bottom on 17 points so in theory need to win seven of their remaining games to hit that mark. West Ham are very hard to predict, taking points off the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks whilst also managing to lose at League One strugglers AFC Wimbledon. If Fulham are really up for this then they could get something. Tickets are available

Premier League Cup
Fulham v Reading @2pm - if you're really keen, you could enjoy a Fulham doubleheader with their U23's playing this match at the club's training ground a short walk from Motspur Park station. Adult tickets are £3 and are available on the gate

A bit further afield
If neither of the above take your fancy then you'll need to make a trip out to Essex to see a live game. Heybridge Swifts made the Bostik League Division 1 North play-offs last season and are well on course to qualify again - they host local rivals Witham in a game they should win. If you don't have a car then that game will be tricky to get to so I'd recommend heading to Harlow instead for the Essex Senior League game between Woodford Town and Hoddesdon Town. If you really want to put some miles on the clock then there were a few tickets left for the Premier League game between Cardiff City and Watford but without a car it will almost certainly require an overnight stay

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Saturday 23 February

Championship
Brentford v Hull City @3pm  - there are no top-flight teams in action in the capital on Saturday so it's all about the second tier where the Bees have recently become London's top club. QPR had been ahead of them and Millwall for most of the season but their recent terrible form has seen Brentford become top dogs - saying that, all three are in the bottom nine so it's not a great achievement. Sadly for Brentford they got stuffed by Swansea in the FA Cup on Sunday so they could be a little deflated heading into this one. Hull were awful at the beginning of the season but started turning things around in early December and are now in the top half
Millwall v Preston North End @3pm - the Lions beat AFC Wimbledon on Saturday to make it through to the FA Cup quarter-finals where they will be the lowest ranked team left in the competition. Aside from their hugely positive results in the cup, Neil Harris's side are really struggling for wins in the league and are just two points above the relegation zone. Like Hull, Preston made a poor start to their campaign but they're up in the top half too and are more than capable of grinding out a narrow win here

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Charlton Athletic @3pm - arguably the game of the day will come at Kingsmeadow where a capacity crowd will watch a game of importance at each end of the table. The Dons picked up a crucial 1-0 win at Walsall in midweek but remained rooted to the bottom. Charlton drew 0-0 with Blackpool at the weekend to stay fifth but their winless run is now up to four games and other clubs are closing in

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Sutton United @3pm - there's only one game on in the fifth tier but it's another derby. The Daggers have improved a lot since being taken over by a new consortium earlier in the season but Peter Taylor's team are still only five points above the relegation zone despite being up in 14th. If they beat Barnet in midweek, Sutton could be in the top four by the time this kicks-off

National League South
Dartford v Woking @3pm - there's also only one game in the sixth tier but it's a big one as two members of the top seven meet at Princes Park. After leaders Torquay lost at Welling United on Saturday, second placed Woking were able to close the gap between them to just one point with a win over Weston-super-Mare. Therefore victory here could put them top. Dartford drew at Slough to keep hold of the last play-off spot and I'm sure they'd settle for a point here

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South
Harrow Borough v Poole Town @3pm - there's quite a bit on in the seventh tier on Saturday but nothing is hugely exciting, certainly from the perspective of league position. This match between the teams in sixth and fifth is probably the most meaningful. Harrow were members of the top five until recently but have just been usurped by Poole. The sides produced a thrilling 3-3 draw in Dorset a month ago so hopefully we'll get some more of the same

Bostik League South Central Division
Hayes & Yeading United v Ware @3pm  - one of the most shocking results of the last week in London if not the whole country was Hayes & Yeading's draw at bottom club Egham Town on Saturday. Given they are the highest scoring team in the country and are seemingly cantering to the title, a cricket score was expected especially by me. At home they are a very different prospect but Ware are a top-six club themselves and would love to be the first team to win at Beaconsfield Road this season

Essex Senior League
West Essex v Stansted @3pm - firmly lodged in midtable, the season is pretty much over for the hosts but they can have a big impact on who ultimately wins the title by how well they perform in this match. Stansted are currently top by four points but nearest challengers Hullbridge have two games in hand which means any dropped points here could be very costly indeed

Anagram Records Trophy
Clapton CFC v Chipperfield Corinthians @2pm - normally I don't cover teams in the 12th tier but it's getting harder and harder to ignore Clapton CFC. Despite being well down the pyramid they draw enormous crowds for the level - a whopping 618 turned out for the visit of league leaders Stonewall on Saturday which the Tons won 5-1. The club were formed primarily by members of the Clapton Ultras last year after they'd had enough of the people running Clapton FC. Although playing three levels below the club they used to follow, the crowds have held up impressively and it's still a fun place to spend a Saturday afternoon with lots of singing and pyro. They play on a pitch at Wadham Lodge next to Walthamstow's ground so they're pretty easy to find

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Sunday 24 February

Carabao Cup Final
Chelsea v Manchester City @430pm - the main event of the week takes place at Wembley on Sunday where the season's first piece of major silverware is up for grabs. Both sides have won this competition five times but it is City who have dominated the event in recent years, winning three of the last five finals. They will start this as strong favourites again, especially when you consider they beat Chelsea 6-0 in last weekend's league match. Chelsea's website gives the impression that tickets are still available but only if you're a member whilst City have sold out

Premier League
Arsenal v Southampton @205pm - there's also an important game at the Emirates where both sides will be desperate for a win. The Gunners could move into the top four if they beat the Saints. However, if the the Hampshire club win then they will almost certainly climb out of the relegation zone so there's a fair bit at stake

A bit further afield
You'll struggle to get a ticket for either of the above so why not make the short journey north to Bedfordshire to watch the big League One clash between leaders Luton Town and Coventry City. The Hatters are in sensational form at the moment and are currently six points clear at the top. Coventry, founding members of the Premier League, are one of the biggest clubs at this level and still have play-off ambitions so a big crowd is expected - there are still a few tickets available for this midday kick-off and I'd advise buying in advance if you do want to go. There are also a couple of non-league games with the most notable being the FA Vase quarter-final between Canterbury City and Biggleswade FC. Sadly Canterbury don't have their own ground and play all their home games at Faversham Town a few miles to the north west


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.

Sunday 10 February 2019

TLFG: 11-17 February 2019

Welcome to this week's TLFG, thanks for dropping by.

It's been another action packed week on the London football scene.

Once again, not a huge amount has changed in regards to league position for our local clubs but the most significant result must have been Chelsea's 6-0 humbling at the hands of Manchester City on Sunday.

It put the reigning champions back on top of the Premier League and saw Chelsea end the weekend in sixth below Arsenal who won at Huddersfield.

Tottenham carried on doing their thing, beating Leicester 3-1 to comfortably retain third and remain as London's top club.

Josh Scowen takes a tumble during QPR's FA Cup win over Portsmouth
In the Championship the match of the day on Saturday came at Loftus Road where visitors Birmingham City raced into a 4-0 lead. With the match into injury time and the score back at 4-3, QPR won a penalty only for on-loan striker Nakhi Wells to see his shot saved by former QPR goalkeeper Lee Camp to deny them a memorable point.

It's as you were in League One with Charlton staying in the top five with a draw and AFC Wimbledon staying bottom after another defeat - the gap to safety is now a hefty 10 points.

In non-league terms, I think my favourite result of the weekend was Chertsey Town's 2-0 win at Irlam in the FA Vase. Out of all the hundreds of teams which entered, the Curfews have made it to the last eight alongside Cray Valley PM.

Dave Anderson's side will now travel to West Auckland Town (near Middlesbrough) in the quarter-finals while CVPM will head to Devon to take on Willand Rovers.

On a personal note, on Monday I got to rub shoulders with a few notables at the 10th anniversary celebration of the QPR Community Trust at the House of Commons.

After getting through security, a journalist friend and I had a bit of spare time before the function began so we took the opportunity to pop into the public gallery and see a debate in progress.

Given all the Brexit shenanigans going on at the moment, it was quite a shock to see MPs discussing some different topics. Although I enjoyed watching John Bercow in full flow, the group of European teenagers on a school trip sat next to me must have been bored out of their minds!

As are you at this point!

Anyway, once the QPR function got underway is was nice to see a few faces from the club's current hierarchy, manager Steve McClaren and legends including Les Ferdinand, Andy Sinton, Andy Impey, Gareth Ainsworth, Don Shanks, Ian Gillard and Mark Lazarus and there could well have been more.

There were some great speeches by some of the above and also by some of those who have benefited from the Trust's activities. There were also some survivors of the Grenfell Tower tragedy which the club played an important role in responding too.

There was also a plug for the upcoming Tiger Feet 10 - a sponsored walk which I helped to set up back in 2010 to raise funds for the QPR Tiger Cubs Down's syndrome football team - the main reason I got an invite.


The following night I headed back to Loftus Road for only the second time this season to watch QPR's FA Cup Fourth Round replay against Portsmouth.

I greatly feared a cupset but it didn't even come close to happening with the visitors only managing one shot on target as we ran out fairly comfortable 2-0 winners.

This means we will now play Watford in the next round on Friday night which I will be taking my daughter to as she begins half term. Remaining tickets, for what is also a derby, go on sale on Monday morning at 10am.

Lastly this week, many thanks to Sami and the other anonymous readers who donated to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund this week. I really really appreciate it.

To recap, I recently received the news that my Dad has lung cancer. This condition also claimed the lives of my Mum and grandfather so with me powerless to do anything medically to help him, I've decided to ask for all donations to this blog to go to the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation which you can contribute to through the fundraising page I've set up. 

Anyway, enough about me - enjoy your football and keep in touch.


THE WEEK AHEAD
The highlights of the next few days include action in the Champions League, FA Cup and EFL and loads of action in our local non-league competitions. There are also some eye-catching U23 and U18 matches too.

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 - magenta 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 11 February

Professional Development League
There is a real dearth of action in the capital on Monday with a solitary U23 game at lunchtime between Crystal Palace and QPR at the Eagles' training ground - sadly this usually means the public won't be admitted but double check with the club in the morning whether you'll be allowed in. Failing that, contact Leeds United's black ops department for tips on how to get access

A bit further afield
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United @8pm - if your craving for football knows no bounds then there are quite literally a handful of tickets remaining for this game in the Midlands. I wouldn't normally include a game this far from London but there is nothing else on and there is one train back to London after the game at 2245

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Tuesday 12 February

Championship
Millwall v Sheffield Wednesday @745pm - for all their exploits in the FA Cup, the Lions are still struggling to pull away from the bottom three. Now four games without a win, only four points separate them from the relegation zone. Wednesday are an inconsistent midtable club and one that could come unstuck on a chilly night in Bermondsey

FA Trophy Third Round Replay
Barnet v Carshalton Athletic @745pm - after finally bowing out of the FA Cup in last week's replay at Brentford, the Bees will be looking to keep their hopes of a trip to Wembley alive by overcoming a side from two divisions below them. The original tie ended in a 3-3 draw after a late capitulation by Darren Currie's side. Carshalton come into this on the back of a fine 3-1 win over Bostik League title contenders Haringey Borough but beating Barnet would be quite an upset

London Senior Cup Semi-Final
Dulwich Hamlet v Brentford B @745pm - the Bees' second string have been making smooth progress in the county cups this season and have beaten stronger sides than Dulwich. However, they arrive at Champion Hill on the back of a run of four games without a win. Admittedly they were all friendlies and included fixtures against the likes of Slavia Prague and Borussia Dortmund but you get the point. The Hamlet have had a disappointing debut season in the National League South but picked up a priceless derby win over Welling on Saturday and should be supported by a sizeable crowd

Velocity Trophy Semi-Finals
Also known as the Bostik League Cup, we're down to the last four in this significant non-league competition. The bigger game is the all Premier Division tie between Enfield Town and Bishop's Stortford who field two of the league's top goalscorers between them. In Stortford's case it's former Bristol Rovers, QPR and Reading striker Jamie Cureton who is still banging them in at the grand old age of 43! There is also a game between AFC Hornchurch and South Central Division promotion chasers Bracknell Town.

Surrey Senior Cup Quarter-Final
Colliers Wood United v Tooting & Mitcham United @745pm - with Colliers Wood and Tooting right next to each other geographically, I'd love to say that this is a big derby but with CWU playing over 5kms away from their home town for almost 30 years it's not as big a rivalry as it could be. Nonetheless it should be feisty enough. It's also worth watching the hosts as, being formed in 1874, they are one of the oldest clubs in the country. Tooting play a level above and should start as favourites
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Wednesday 13 February

Champions League
Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund @8pm - the Champions League returns this week with the knockout stages getting underway after the competition's winter hiatus. Spurs have landed a very tough tie with current German league leaders Dortmund heading to Wembley for this first leg. Borussia head to London after a thrilling but disappointing 3-3 draw with midtable Hoffenheim which allowed Bayern Munich to cut their lead at the top to five points. Spurs, on the other hand, recorded a solid 3-1 win over Leicester on Sunday to further strengthen their grip on third place in the Premier League. The north London club on 'home' turf should be capable of at least a draw. Tickets are available but only to those on Tottenham's database

Championship
Brentford v Aston Villa @745pm - the Bees' decent unbeaten run came to an end at Nottingham Forest on Saturday and they'll find the visit of Villa challenging too. In terms of attendance, the Birmingham club are the biggest in the division and shouldn't really be in the second tier but they are and could well be sticking around for another year. With only one win in five, Dean Smith's side are now six points adrift of the play-off places. Eleven points clear of the relegation zone, the main priority for Brentford will be getting one over Smith who left them earlier in the season for Villa. Like the match above, tickets are on restricted sale as the away allocation has sold out

Bostik League Premier Division
Wingate & Finchley v Tonbridge Angels @745pm - with tickets hard to come by for both of the above your next best option is this seventh-tier game in north London. After moving up to this level in 2011, Wingate have impressively punched above their weight and even made it to the play-offs two seasons ago. Not so this season as managerial issues have taken their toll and they've found themselves in the bottom three. With two games in hand and a three-point deficit to make up on Harlow, they can turn things around but it will be tough against Tonbridge who are among a large pack of clubs chasing a play-off place

SCEFL Challenge Cup Quarter-Final
Cray Valley PM v Corinthian @745pm - after getting postponed last week, two of the top three in this league will try and do battle again for a place in the semis of this cup competition

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Friday 15 February

FA Cup Fifth Round
Queens Park Rangers v Watford @745pm - with no senior men's football anywhere in England on Thursday, next up is the opening game of the next round of the FA Cup. QPR have made it to this point by beating Leeds United and Portsmouth so playing the Hornets, ranked eighth in the Premier League, is going to be quite a step up in class. The Shepherd's Bush club are also on a run of four straight league defeats after a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to Birmingham City on Saturday (QPR were 4-0 down and saw a injury-time penalty saved). Watford ground out a 1-0 win over Everton in their last match and are the definite favourites to win but it's a derby, it's on TV and QPR are in the fifth round for the first time in 22 years so who knows? Tickets are set to go on general sale at 10am on Monday - I've got mine

Professional Development League
Watford v Charlton Athletic @3pm - if you've got the day off, you could enjoy a double helping of Hornets action with this U23 match at Wingate & Finchley

Essex Senior League
Tower Hamlets v Ilford @745pm - the best non-league option of the night would appear to be this East End derby in Mile End at one of the most centrally located grounds in the capital

A bit further afield
There are three Premier League 2 games all taking place just outside London. The biggest is Tottenham v Arsenal at Stevenage but it's members only for security reasons. Chelsea are playing Swansea at Aldershot Town while Reading entertain Newcastle United at Wycombe Wanderers - both of these will be open to the public but check all details before you travel

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Saturday 16 February

FA Cup Fifth Round
AFC Wimbledon v Millwall @3pm - with all our local Premier League sides either playing away or not playing at all, this derby between two EFL clubs takes top billing on Saturday. After the sensational win over West Ham in the last round, the Dons have returned to their sorry form in League One and are now 10 points adrift of safety at the bottom of the division. As mentioned above, Millwall aren't having a great season in the Championship either so this could be a close one. Given the derby nature of the game and Wimbledon's tiny stadium capacity, tickets will be very hard to come by without membership

A bit further afield
Brighton & Hove Albion v Derby County @3pm - if you simply must see a Premier League team in action then a short trip south to Sussex should be able to see you grab a ticket for this FA Cup tie against Championship promotion hopefuls Derby. At the time of writing, tickets seem to be in plentiful supply so don't miss out

League One
Charlton Athletic v Blackpool @3pm - although not as glamorous as a last 16 FA Cup tie, this third tier match has plenty going for it with the Addicks looking for a win which could put them in the top four. The Tangerines are also in the top eight and won the reverse fixture a couple of months ago. Despite the high league position of both sides, both sets of fans are in dispute with their respective owners so the turnout could be somewhat lower than you might expect

National League
Leyton Orient v Maidenhead United @3pm  - there are some decent games in the fifth tier on Saturday with this one likely to draw the biggest crowd. In what has become a tight title race, the O's draw at Hartlepool United on Saturday was enough to keep them top but only just. At the other end, Maidenhead are fighting to beat the drop and recorded an invaluable win over Boreham Wood to move out of the relegation zone
Bromley v Maidstone United @3pm - the other match at this level which I really fancy is this Kent derby at Hayes Lane. Bromley haven't quite recaptured their form of last season but are more than holding their own in midtable. The same can't be said of Maidstone who look set for a return to the National League South despite being one of the division's big six in terms of attendance. Consequently there should be at least 2,000 for this one

National League South
Welling United v Torquay United @3pm - the best option in the sixth tier must be this match as play-off hopefuls Welling welcome the current leaders. Managed by former Bristol City, Yeovil Town and Latvia boss Gary Johnson, the Gulls have climbed to the top after a lacklustre start to the season. It looks like being a tough afternoon for the Wings...
Wealdstone v St Albans City @3pm - at Grosvenor Vale there's a clash of the two teams just below Welling who are fighting to take their place in the play-off positions

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South
Metropolitan Police v Salisbury @3pm - after nicking a late goal to earn a 4-4 draw with fellow title contenders Weymouth on Saturday, the Met next have to host another of the leading pack. Managed by former Birmingham, Leicester and Portsmouth striker Steve Claridge, the Wiltshire club are gradually climbing back up the pyramid after reforming in 2015 following financial problems. These two sides are level on points at the time of writing in what has become an exciting title race

Bostik League South Central
Egham Town v Hayes & Yeading United @3pm - it could well be a day many are dreading at the Runnymede Stadium as bottom club Egham host the ridiculously high scoring runaway league leaders

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Chertsey Town v Sutton Common Rovers @3pm - the top two in the CCL meet for a game of gargantuan proportions in the ninth tier. While Chertsey were making smooth progress into the quarter-finals of the FA Vase on Saturday, Sutton Common were beating CB Hounslow to retake top spot. The south London club now have a two-point lead over Chertsey but they have three games in hand

Combined Counties League Division 1
Bedfont & Feltham v Tooting Bec @3pm  - unlike the game above, there aren't any really eye-catching games in the 10th tier this week but this one at The Orchard should be decent enough. The hosts are currently joint top with Frimley Green and will be looking to pull away from them with a win here. The visitors are a top six club themselves and could push into the top five if things go their way. Once again, it's worth pointing out that this is being played at one of the quirkiest grounds in the country as it's located at the end of Heathrow Airport's runway

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Sunday 17 February

Women's FA Cup Fifth Round
Chelsea v Arsenal @2pm - like the men's competition, we're down to the last 16 and there are three ties in the London area on Sunday. This is undoubtedly the match of the round and is a repeat of last year's final which the Blues won 3-1. On Sunday Chelsea travelled to Super League leaders Manchester City and drew 2-2 (unlike their male counterparts) to stay third just behind Arsenal. The Gunners beat Manchester United in their League Cup semi-final in midweek and should start as marginal favourites

A bit further afield
If women's football is not your thing then you could head down to the West Country and watch the FA Cup tie between Bristol City and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Tickets seem to be in good supply and there are regular trains and coaches to and from Bristol before and after the game which kicks off at 1pm. City play a level below Premier League Wolves but are in red hot form and should more than fancy their chances



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.

Monday 4 February 2019

TLFG: 4-10 February 2019

Welcome to the latest edition of TLFG and apologies for the late publication - apart from a few early kick-offs in U23 games, I don't think you're going to miss out on too much.

The last week hasn't been as action packed as we would all have hoped because snow blighted large parts of the fixture list, particularly at non-league level.

Nonetheless, there were some cracking games not least the 3-3 draw between Barnet and Brentford in the FA Cup which got the week off to a great start on Monday.

There have also been two rounds of Premier League games since I last wrote with a number of spectacular wins and losses for our local clubs but ultimately not very much changed. Spurs are still our top local club and Fulham are really struggling - everyone else just seems to be muddling through.

The categories in this year's FBAs have been announced

Brentford were the star performers in the Championship with a superb 5-2 win over play-off chasing Blackburn - a result made all the more impressive by the fact they were 2-0 down after seven minutes. Thomas Frank's side are now unbeaten in seven and pushing for a place in the top half.

Our local League One sides both lost but while Charlton stay firmly in the play-off places, AFC Wimbledon are still bottom and now nine points adrift of safety.

In the FA Trophy, Bostik League club Carshalton Athletic came from two goals down to draw 3-3 with Barnet who play two levels above them whilst Leyton Orient squeaked past Blyth Spartans to book their place in the quarter-finals.

Chertsey Town saw their FA Vase game at Irlam snowed off but in the all-London tie, Cray Valley PM beat Abbey Rangers 3-1 to make the last eight.

The quarter-final draw for both competitions is on Monday lunchtime.

I've got a few days off now so will get to go to only my second QPR match of the season as they entertain Portsmouth in an FA Cup replay on Tuesday night. Although from the division below, Pompey will be incredibly tough to beat and will be roared on by their fans who have completely sold out their allocation of tickets. The winners will have an attractive home tie against Premier League Watford in the next round - they're actually my outside tip to win it this season.

Tickets are now available for The London Football Awards

Many thanks to Michael C and Andy LW who donated to TLFG's coffee drinking fund this week. I really appreciate it and thanks again to all those who have contributed in the past.

On the subject of the coffee drinking fund, things are going to be changing from now on after I received the news on Thursday that my Dad has lung cancer. This condition also claimed the lives of my Mum and grandfather so with me powerless to do anything medically to help him, I've decided to ask for all donations to this blog to now go to the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation which you can contribute to through the fundraising page I've set up. 

Sorry to end my bit on such a low note but the good news is, the doctors haven't written him off yet and there is a chance.

Anyway, enough about me - enjoy your football and keep in touch.


THE WEEK AHEAD
The highlights of the next few days include action in the Premier League and EFL, a couple of FA Cup replays and loads of action in our local non-league competitions. There are also some eye-catching U23 and U18 matches too.

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 - magenta 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 4 February

Premier League
West Ham United v Liverpool @8pm - both sides were going along pretty smoothly until recently. Although Liverpool are still top, they've only won three of their last five league games and are out of the FA Cup. The Hammers have seen their form dip even more sharply, winning only one of their last five league games and they too are out of the cup after losing at League One strugglers AFC Wimbledon. The Reds will of course start as strong favourites, a status that's further backed up by the fact that they've beaten West Ham on the last four occasions and scored four goals each time. If you want to go, there are a few tickets available via the club's ticket exchange

Premier League 2
If you don't fancy the high prices at the London Stadium, then there are a couple of U23 games taking place elsewhere on Monday night with Arsenal hosting West Ham at Boreham Wood and Fulham playing Aston Villa at their training ground. Gunners games at Boreham Wood are usually free admission but the pitch was unplayable on Saturday so make sure it is still going ahead. Entry to Fulham's training ground is £3

Professional Development League
There are three U23 matches in this league on Monday lunchtime. Crystal Palace, Millwall and QPR are all playing fixtures at their training grounds. However, this usually means you'll only be able to get in to the game at QPR but, as always, check all the details before you travel

Bostik League Premier Division
Haringey Borough v Brightlingsea Regent @745pm - after coming up from the North Division last season, Haringey have been the surprise package of this campaign. Top for several weeks after going on a lengthy winning run, they've slipped back to second after winning only two in five. They are still serving up the entertainment though, producing a 4-4 draw with Burgess Hill on Saturday. On Monday they welcome Essex club Brightlingsea who have made rapid progress up the divisions since being formed in 2005 and are more than holding their own at this level

Bostik League North Division
Aveley v Romford @745pm - the Millers moved to within three points of leaders Bowers & Pitsea with a win at Canvey Island on Saturday which means victory against local rivals Romford could put them joint top. The visitors are currently bottom so should be beaten

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Tuesday 5 February

FA Cup Fourth Round Replays
Brentford v Barnet @745pm - the initial game produced one of the matches of the round with the thrilling 3-3 draw wowing TV audiences around the country. Whether the second 'Battle of the Bees' will be quite as entertaining remains to be seen but precedent suggests the Championship side should prevail at the second time of asking. Sadly this game is not going on general sale and is only available to people with a previous ticket purchasing history
Queens Park Rangers v Portsmouth @745pm - elsewhere in west London, there's another finely balanced match between a midtable Championship side and one pushing for the title in League One. The first game produced a hard fought 1-1 draw and QPR, who aren't in the best of form, look vulnerable to a cupset. As with the match above, you must have a previous ticket purchasing history to be able to get a ticket for this one

National League South
Welling United v Chippenham Town @745pm - originally scheduled for last Saturday, this game was re-arranged while I was writing this blog on Sunday and missed the news that it was being played on Tuesday instead. Both clubs are pushing for a play-off place so it should be well worth a watch

Bostik League South East Division
Cray Wanderers v Whyteleafe @745pm - there's quite a lot of decent games on in the eighth tier on Tuesday but this top-five clash is probably the pick of them. Cray are the oldest club in London and appear to be romping to the title this year. Currently 13 points clear at the top after beating Herne Bay 6-0 on Saturday, it will take some doing to throw their lead away UPDATE: This match is being played at Whyteleafe - it's correct on the map but for some reason I switched it round, apologies 

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Chertsey Town v Badshot Lea @745pm - the Curfews were all set to make the long trip up to Manchester on Saturday to play Irlam in their big FA Vase match but snow saw it postponed. Back in London, their main title rivals Sutton Common Rovers did manage to play but suffered a surprise 4-1 home defeat to Spelthorne Sports. The result means Chertsey are left only two points behind but with three games in hand so a win here against midtable opposition will put them back on top

Combined Counties League Division 1 Cup
Bedfont & Feltham v Epsom & Ewell @745pm - two of the top four in the division meet in the cup for what should be an entertaining game at the end of Heathrow Airport's runway

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Wednesday 6 February

FA Continental Tyres Cup Semi-Final
Chelsea v Manchester City @730pm - the biggest match of the night is this women's match at Kingsmeadow where last season's league and FA Cup doublewinners Chelsea host the current league leaders City for a place in this year's league cup final. Tickets are £3

Southern Counties East League Challenge Cup Quarter-Final
Cray Valley PM v Corinthian @745pm - hosts CVPM recorded a fine 3-1 win over Abbey Rangers on Saturday to make it through the quarter-finals of the FA Vase. The south-east London club are also doing pretty well in the league and will make the semi-finals of the league cup too if they win here. However, Corinthian are second and will be tough to beat

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Thursday 7 February

FA Continental Tyres Cup Semi-Final
Arsenal v Manchester United @730pm - the Gunners women's team are currently second in the Super League but with a game in hand which will put them top if they win it. Although only a second-tier side, United are the highest scoring team in the top two divisions and will almost certainly get promoted to the top flight next season. Having beaten Super League side West Ham in the previous round, it will be very interesting to see how they get on here. Tickets for this match at Boreham Wood are £6

A bit further afield
If you've never been to Peterborough United then you've got the chance to tick their ABAX Stadium off your list on Thursday lunchtime. Although some way north of London, trains from Kings Cross are frequent and fast (less than an hour) and the ground is walkable from the station - you could also pay a visit to the 12th century cathedral too. Oh yes, they're playing Charlton Athletic in an U23 match

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Friday 8 February

A bit further afield
There's nothing on at all in London on Friday so if you want your football fix then you're going to have to clock up some miles. The biggest game of the day is the Championship match between Aston Villa and Sheffield United in Birmingham. There are still a few tickets available and it is possible to get trains back to London after the match with the last one leaving New Street at 2310.

Closer to home we have the Evo-Stik League match between Winchester City and AFC Totton. Both clubs are sitting just outside the play-off places so there's a fair bit at stake. Winchester is a very historic city and is well worth a visit in its own right so if you're free, think about making a day of it. There are also plenty of trains back to London after the game too.

Finally, if you enjoyed your visit to Peterborough on Thursday, you could remain in the area and check out Thurlow Nunn League leaders Godmanchester Rovers who continue their title push against Thetford Town. If going by public transport, you'll probably need a taxi to get you back to Huntingdon station after the game but once there, you'll be able to get a train back into London without much problem
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Saturday 9 February

Premier League
Fulham v Manchester United @1230pm - a full programme of top-flight action gets underway at lunchtime with this important match at Craven Cottage. Fulham enjoyed a fine midweek win over Brighton but then suffered a disappointing defeat at Crystal Palace on Saturday to fall seven points adrift of safety. Much has been made of United's resurgence under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer so they couldn't be facing them at a much worse time. The Cottagers are also winless in 11 against the Old Trafford club and have suffered some pretty heavy defeats since their last win in 2009. This match has sold out
Crystal Palace v West Ham United @3pm - the win over Fulham moved the Eagles up to 14th, four points clear of the relegation zone. With only two defeats in five league games and still in the FA Cup, things are looking promising for Roy Hodgson's men and I'd have to start them as favourites in this derby. Tickets are not available to non-members
Watford v Everton @3pm - with only one point from their two games over the last week, you'd probably be a little disappointed as a Watford fan. However, that draw at Brighton on Saturday kept them in the top eight which is a fine achievement for a club of their size. On Saturday they welcome a Toffees side managed by former Hornets boss Marco Silva who are just one point behind them in the table. The sides produced a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture in December and a draw looks likely here too. This match is the only local Premier League game with tickets available to non-members but there aren't many left so act fast if you want one

A bit further afield
If none of the above work for you and you're prepared to travel outside London then there are a few tickets left for Southampton v Cardiff City and Brighton v Burnley in the Premier League

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Birmingham City @3pm - QPR's defeat at Wigan on Saturday made them about as midtable as it is possible to be - 14th place, eight points off the play-offs and 14 points clear of the relegation zone. Although the Championship is a pretty crazy division, it's highly unlikely they'll be going anywhere this season. This weekend they welcome Birmingham who are in a much better position when it comes to finishing in the top six and so should be marginal favourites. However, QPR are unbeaten in six against the Blues and haven't lost at home against them since 2006

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Burton Albion @3pm - still bottom of the division after a narrow defeat at Sunderland, the Dons take on another club who have done way better in cup football this season. Wally Downes' side enjoyed a fantastic 4-2 win over West Ham last week to make the fifth round of the FA Cup while Burton made it to the EFL Cup semi-finals (we'll gloss over their 10-0 aggregate defeat to Man City though) last month. The Midlands club got relegated from the Championship at the end of last season and are almost certainly going to have to settle for a midtable finish this time
Charlton Athletic v Southend United @3pm - at the other end of the table, the Addicks still find themselves firmly entrenched in the play-off places despite a 1-0 loss at Fleetwood on Saturday. Lee Bowyer's men still have a seven-point cushion over the chasing pack so should remain in the top group of clubs for a few weeks yet. With Southend only a little to the east of London, this is pretty much a derby but like Burton they're on 38 points and seem to have little to play for

FA Youth Cup Fifth Round
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion @3pm - before moving on to the day's non-league action, it's worth pointing out this U18 match which is being played at Boreham Wood. Chelsea have totally dominated this competition in recent years but lost in the third round to Manchester United, meaning someone new is going to get their chance this year. The Gunners should start this match as strong favourites. Arsenal usually let people into their youth games for free but given it's an FA competition there might be a nominal charge - it shouldn't be more than £5 though

National League
Barnet v Sutton United @3pm - after all the thrills and spills of two thrilling 3-3 draws in the FA Cup and FA Trophy last week, Barnet return to the relative mundanity of league football. However, the visit of Sutton should also provide a decent spectacle as it's a north v south London derby. Interestingly, with the clubs yo-yoing between divisions over the decades they've hardly ever played each other. My exhaustive archive search has concluded that the last competitive meeting between the two was an FA Cup match in 1970 which Sutton won 2-0. On current form, United should win this one too

National League South
Dulwich Hamlet v Welling United @3pm - the match of the day in the sixth tier must be this south London derby. With the Hamlet winless since Boxing Day, the relegation zone is creeping ever closer and alarm bells must be starting to ring. Despite this they're still drawing huge crowds of around 3,000. Given the derby nature of this game and the fact that Welling are fighting hard for a play-off place, there should be another big attendance again

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South
Metropolitan Police v Weymouth @3pm - there's a real David & Goliath clash at Imber Court on Saturday where one of the division's smallest teams hosts its biggest. Despite the Met's lack of support they've been in the best form they've been in for years and are level on points with second placed Weymouth. Both clubs have two games in hand on leaders Taunton so they're in with a great chance of winning the title

Bostik League Premier Division
Corinthian Casuals v Lewes @3pm - a short journey away in Tolworth you've got this match between two clubs on the up. Casuals got promoted last season and have seen attendances rise by 45% this season as their popularity has soared. Lewes are one of the biggest clubs in the division and came up with CCs from the South Division last season. Of the three clubs promoted, the Rooks are making the best of things and could well make the play-offs again

Bostik League North Division
Aveley v Maldon & Tiptree @3pm - it's third versus second at Parkside on Saturday as these two Essex clubs try to catch leaders Bowers & Pitsea who are just three points ahead. The clubs are also the highest scorers in the division so hopefully there'll be plenty of entertainment

Bostik League South Central
Hayes & Yeading United v Cheshunt @3pm - after the blip of a 2-2 draw at Ashford Town last Saturday, leaders H&YU responded with a 5-1 midweek win at Chalfont St Peter and an 8-1 drubbing of Hertford on Saturday to quell any doubts about their title ambitions. The west London club have now scored a ridiculous 95 goals in 23 league games (still more than any other club in the country) and are 12 points clear at the top. Cheshunt, at the time of writing, are fourth and have promotion ambitions of their own but will it be a case of damage limitation even for them?

Essex Senior League
Sporting Bengal United v Tower Hamlets @3pm - it's time for the Mile End Derby again. Both clubs share the same ground and originally have their roots in the local Bengali community. These days both clubs field players from all backgrounds but there is still a strong Asian presence on the pitch and in the stands. I've been to a few of these games in the past and for a ninth-tier game they can get quite lively

Combined Counties League Division 1
British Airways v Bedfont & Feltham @3pm - there's another interesting groundshare derby on the west side of town where tenants BA host their landlords. B&F, although third, are the title favourites because of their games in hand. The most notable thing about this ground is its location next the runway at Heathrow Airport so if you love football and plane spotting you'll think you've died and gone to heaven!
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Sunday 10 February

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City @130pm - after beating Newcastle on Saturday, Spurs briefly went second in the table. Man City's comfortable win over Arsenal on Sunday put them back down to third and that looks like being the lowest they'll probably finish given the seven-point gap between themselves and an inconsistent Chelsea. Leicester, unsurprisingly, have never come close to recapturing their title winning form but are dangerous opponents who are capable of beating anyone on their day. Although winless in four, they did manage a 1-1 draw at Liverpool in midweek and only narrowly lost to Manchester United on Sunday. Tickets are available to non-members if you want to go

FA Women's Championship
London Bees v Tottenham Hotspur @2pm - a short Tube ride from Wembley Park to Canons Park on the Jubilee Line will bring you to The Hive where this match is being played. It seems somewhat of a missed opportunity that this north London derby has been scheduled for pretty much the same time as the men's game above but what do I know? Spurs are currently top of this division and will want to win this derby to keep ahead of Charlton and Manchester United who look like their most likely challengers for the title




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