Sunday 24 April 2022

TLFG: 25 April - 2 May 2022

Greetings one and all and welcome to TLFG as the season takes another step closer to its completion.

As there's another Bank Holiday, this edition will go through until next Monday.

For the majority of our local non-league clubs, the action came to an end on Saturday meaning the really exciting business of the play-offs can now begin.

Not only that but the county cup circuit heats up a little bit more this week with the London Senior Cup Final on Tuesday and there are a couple of other more junior titles up for grabs too.

Fulham should finally make sure of the Championship title at some point this week whilst several other London clubs face huge matches in Europe or ones which will determine promotion or relegation.

Tickets are now on sale for the Women's FA Cup Final

My only chance of seeing anything is probably going to be next Sunday but other family commitments will probably stop that.

I did, however, book my tickets earlier today for this season's Women's FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester City at Wembley on 15 May.

In the WSL it's been all about Arsenal and Chelsea but that's because City had such bad injuries earlier in the season - now the players are back, they can compete with anyone and beat Chelsea in the League Cup Final last month.

All in all, I think City may well do a cup double.

Lastly this week, many thanks to Michael R 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, most of our local non-league competitions and the Women's Super League 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 - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin



WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin
Monday fixtures - yellow 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 April

Premier League
Crystal Palace v Leeds United @745pm - these teams looked safe but following Burnley's resurgence and with six games still to go, both teams could do with a win on Monday. Sadly for the Yorkshire club, it hasn't been a happy hunting ground with their last win coming back in 2006. Tickets are not available to non-members

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Tuesday 26 April

Championship
Fulham v Nottingham Forest @745pm - the Cottagers have already sealed promotion back to the Premier League but this could be the game where they win the title. Second placed Bournemouth are at Swansea the same night and Fulham simply need to better their result to be crowned champions. But it won't come easily as Forest can still finish second themselves and are in better form than either of the top two. Tickets are sold out

League Two
Sutton United v Crawley Town @745pm - the U's suffered defeat at Barrow on Saturday but stayed in the play-off places. With three games to go they can easily be caught and pretty much need to win every one. Midtable Crawley have nothing to play for and are currently without suspended manager John Yems after complaints of 'discriminatory language and behaviour' towards players. Tickets are available

National League
Bromley v Aldershot Town @745pm - the Ravens' loss at Boreham Wood left them nine points adrift of the play-offs with six games to go, significantly diminishing their promotion hopes. Aldershot are just above the relegation zone but have a seven-point cushion over King's Lynn, meaning a win here will keep them up 

London Senior Cup Final
Brentford B v Hendon @745pm - having lost to Barnet in the Middlesex Senior Cup Final, the Bees will want to take this title instead. Beaten finalists in two of the last three London Senior Cup finals, will this be their year? Hendon warmed up for this by winning their last league game of the season against Merthyr Town 6-0 and they beat Brentford 1-0 in that 2020 final. Being played at Dulwich Hamlet, I haven't seen any ticket details yet but it's usually around £10 for adults

Kent Senior Cup Semi-Final
Welling United v Dartford @745pm - there's a local derby at Park View Road on Tuesday. Neither side have got the game listed on their website fixture lists so I don't think they're taking it that seriously. The winners will meet either Folkestone Invicta or Hythe Town in the final

Southern League Premier Division South Play-Off Semi-Final
Hayes & Yeading United v Weston-super-Mare @745pm - of far more importance is this play-off game at the SkyEx. H&YU sealed the runners-up spot in the division with a 2-2 draw at Hartley Wintney in their final game meaning they have home advantage here. There's only one leg and the winners will play Farnborough or Metropolitan Police in the final. Tickets are £10 on the gate

Friendly
AFC Whytleleafe v Surrey International @815pm - if you'd prefer something a little more quirky and you're in the deep south, then the return to action of Surrey's international side could be for you. It's free entry at Church Road too
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Wednesday 27 April

Isthmian League Premier Division Play-Off Semi-Final
Enfield Town v Hornchurch @745pm - the biggest game of the night takes place at the QEII Stadium thanks to the fact that the Towners won their final game and the Urchins lost theirs. The results saw them switch places in the table to give Enfield home advantage in this one-legged game, which could prove to be crucial. The winners wil play Bishop's Stortford or Cheshunt in Monday's final. Tickets are £11 and can be bought online

Isthmian League South Central Division Play-Off Semi-Finals
Bedfont Sports v Hanwell Town @745pm - if north London's not convenient for you, then a match next to Heathrow Airport could be better. A short walk from Hatton Cross Tube station will take you to Bedfont Sports' well-appointed ground. With Bracknell Town having won the title, the battle for second was a close one and ultimately Bedfont and Hanwell fell a bit short. I haven't seen any ticket details yet but they should be available on the gate, with prices no more than £10
Chertsey Town v Basingstoke Town @745pm - the runners-up spot eventually went to Chertsey who continue to build on the strong foundations that former manager Dave Anderson laid back in 2018/19 when they won the Combined Counties League and FA Vase. Losing boss Kevin McClaren to a bizarre bit of ill-discipline midway through this campaign, the Curfews have done superbly well to find themselves in this position under his replacement Ian Selley. Former NLS side Basingstoke are arguably the biggest club in this division and are recovering well after some terrible off-field shenanigans in recent years. Tickets are £9 if bought in advance, £10 on the day

SCEFL Division 1 Play-Off Semi-Final
Sutton Athletic v Tooting Bec @745pm - there's another big game lower down the pyramid where two TLFG clubs are looking to get out of the 10th tier. With Stansfeld winning the title, Sutton finished second thanks to a solid 3-0 win over Snodland on the final day. Tooting Bec almost threw it all away by losing at home to relegation-threatened Forest Hill Park but Bridon Ropes came unstuck too and they held on. The hosts should start as favourites

Middlesex Intermediate Cup Final
NW London v Brentham @745pm - after winning the Anagram Records Trophy on Saturday night, NW London go after another piece of silverware on Wednesday. This should be quite a game as they face their main rivals for the MCFL title who beat them at the start of the month. This is being played at North Greenford United but I haven't seen any ticket details yet
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Thursday 28 April

Europa League Semi-Final First Leg
West Ham United v Eintracht Frankfurt @8pm - arguably the biggest game the Hammers have played in years, the pressure will really be on them on Thursday. Following defeat at Chelsea on Sunday, they're now down to seventh and might struggle to get back into Europe next season if they don't win this competition. A bit like Lyon, who they beat in the last round, Frankfurt are having a pretty mediocre league campaign and are ninth in the Bundesliga at the time of writing. However, with wins over Real Betis and Barcelona in previous rounds, they're going to be tough opponents. They also travel in huge numbers so tickets are long gone

FA Women's Super League
Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur @745pm - after being postponed because of Covid infections in March, the re-scheduling of this match means the clubs will play twice in four days. Sunday's match at The Hive saw the Blues overcome the loss of an early goal and the first-half sending off of their goalkeeper to win 3-1. The performance showed why they will almost certainly be crowned champions and also effectively ended Spurs' hopes of a Champions League place. Tickets are available 

Middlesex Charity Cup Semi-Final
Southall v Uxbridge @745pm - if you'd prefer a non-league match, then CCL Premier North runners-up Southall will hope to continue their successful season by cupsetting the higher-ranked Uxbridge and making it to the final against Hanwell Town
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Friday 29 April

Championship
QPR v Sheffield United @745pm - if the R's had got something out of their game at Stoke on Saturday then this could've been quite something. Sadly they lost 1-0 which means they're six points behind the Blades, who occupy the last play-off spot, with two games to go. Goal difference means that QPR will have to score five or six past here to have any chance of going into the final day with any hope. With Millwall, Middlesbrough and Blackburn all better placed, it really isn't looking very good at all. But this is the Championship and weird things happen. Tickets are available

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Leeds United @7pm - if that doesn't appeal, you want something cheaper or you've never been to the Emirates Stadium, then this U23 game looks like a fine option. Tickets are only £4 and must be booked in advance - there's a limited capacity so don't delay
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Saturday 30 April

Premier League
Watford v Burnley @3pm - there's only one game in the top flight on Saturday but it's the definition of a relegation 'six-pointer'. With the Hornets suffering another defeat at Manchester City on Saturday, only a fool would bet on them staying up. Nine points adrift of safety with five games to go, the game is surely up. However, if they beat the Clarets they'll give themselves half a chance. It seemed really harsh on Sean Dyche when Burnley sacked him earlier this month, but with seven points from the three games since, it could prove to be an inspired decision. A win won't guarantee survival by any means but it will add to the all-important momentum and belief that's required to stay up. Tickets are available

Championship
Millwall v Peterborough United @3pm - with two games to go, the Lions find themselves just three points off a play-off place. With one of the smallest budgets and fanbases in the division, few would've predicted that at the start of the season so it's quite an achievement. With Peterborough already down, this provides a great opportunity to keep their promotion dreams alive. Tickets are available

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Accrington Stanley @3pm - it's the final day in the third tier and with only six wins from their previous 45 league games, the Dons are on the verge of relegation. In fact, if Fleetwood get at least a draw in their midweek game in hand against Sheffield Wednesday then it will all be over. If they are still in with a chance come Saturday, then they'll have to win big and hope Fleetwood and Gillingham both lose - a combination of results that would see them stay up on goal difference. Tickets have sold out

League Two
Sutton United v Bradford City @3pm - the fourth tier goes on a week longer but a win for the U's here against the midtable Bantams might be enough to secure a play-off place. In all likelihood, it will go to the final day but they'll want to have as many points in the bag as possible when they head to Harrogate. Tickets are available

National League
Barnet v Grimsby Town @3pm - the Bees' season is over but they can have a say in who gets a play-off spot. Grimsby are sixth at the time of writing with a healthy six-point advantage over Dagenham & Redbridge in eighth. If they lose here, it could get a lot tighter with three games to go
Bromley v Chesterfield @3pm - as mentioned above, the Ravens' play-off hopes are slim but if they beat Aldershot and Chesterfield who are fifth at the time of writing, then their prospects could look a lot rosier
Wealdstone v Dagenham & Redbridge @3pm - like Barnet, the Stones' season is over with the objective of avoiding relegation achieved. The Daggers still have a play-off spot in their sights and could find themselves only a point off the pace if they win here

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Sunday 1 May

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City @2pm - in the battle to seemingly AVOID finishing fourth, Spurs had a reasonable weekend by only managing to draw at Brentford. This means they're now two points behind Arsenal who've had a terrible week, beating Chelsea and Manchester United. I jest of course but that's how it's appeared in recent times with the teams between fourth and seventh all wasting presentable chances to nail down that last Champions League place. The Foxes are coasting along in midtable and must now be focused almost entirely on winning the Europa Conference League. Tickets are sold out
West Ham United v Arsenal @430pm - with the Hammers possibly a little jaded coming off their big Europa League game, this could be another great chance for the Gunners to move a little closer to sealing a fourth-place finish. Arsenal are unbeaten in five against West Ham and beat them fairly comfortably when they last men in December. Tickets are available

Isthmian League South Central Play-Off Final
Chertsey Town v Hanwell Town @3pm - after beating Basingstoke Town and Bedfont Sports respectively, it looks set to be quite a ding-dong at Alwyns Lane on Sunday. The Curfews drew over 1,000 fans to their semi-final and this could well sell out so book your ticket in advance

FA Sunday Cup Final
Baitezee FC v Highgate Albion @2pm - I'm not an expert on this competition but it's as prestigious as it gets when it comes to Sunday League football. The match is being played at Millwall and tickets are £5

FA Women's Super League
Arsenal v Aston Villa @215pm - as we move into the last three games of the season, the Gunners need to win every one to give them the chance of finishing ahead of Chelsea. If the Blues beat Spurs in midweek, then Arsenal will be four points behind coming into this. Villa are the sort of side the hosts should beat with ease, anything else will effectively end their season 

FA Women's Championship
London City Lionesses v Blackburn Rovers @2pm - with Liverpool having already won the title, three clubs are still in with a chance of finishing second. LCL are currently second so simply need to win here to make sure of the runners-up spot

FA Women's National League Division 1 South East
QPR v Norwich City @2pm - this game is notable as it's the first time QPR Women will play a match at Loftus Road. It's their final game of the season and it's free entry although a voluntary donation to the club's community trust would be appreciated

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Monday 2 May

Championship
Fulham v Luton Town @515pm - as mentioned above, the Cottagers could well be champions by the time this kicks-off but if not, they'll have another chance here. Again they face tough opponents who are looking to go up but results earlier in the weekend could have secured the Hatters a play-off spot and this could be all about determining whether they get home advantage in the post-season. Some tickets may still be available but you'll need to register to get one

National League
Boreham Wood v Wrexham @3pm - with three defeats in five, leaders Stockport have allowed Wrexham right back into title contention. The Welsh club are now only a point behind with three games to go. The Wood were the latest team to beat Stockport and still have faint hopes of getting into the play-offs. To have any chance of going up, they must win here - it's huge for both. You're strongly advised to buy tickets in advance and if you do, you'll get free entry to the following game against Solihull Moors too
Dagenham & Redbridge v Torquay United @3pm - the Daggers' win at Wealdstone on Saturday extended their unbeaten run to six games and left them four points behind Chesterfield who fill the last play-off place. If the good momentum continues and they win here, they'll end any hope the Gulls might have of going up

National League South
Welling United v Maidstone United @3pm - the pick of the games in the sixth tier takes place at Park View Road where the struggling Wings have the chance to secure their place in the division. All they need to do is beat the newly crowned NLS champions and hope Billericay drop points against Ebbsfleet - easy!


Premier League 2 & Professional Development League
There's a really fine selection of U23 games on Monday with Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Charlton Athletic all hosting games at their main stadiums. In the case of the Premier League clubs, you're advised to buy tickets in advance through their websites

Southern League Premier Division South Play-Off Final
Hayes & Yeading United v Farnborough @3pm - After leading the way for a large part of the season, H&YU ended up in second. Thankfully they came through their semi-final against Weston-super-Mare unscathed but Farnborough should be a slightly tougher challenge. The visitors beat Metropolitan Police in their semi. Tickets are £10 but can only be bought from the ground in person from 11am on Saturday

Isthmian League Premier Division Play-Off Final
Hornchurch v Cheshunt @3pm - both sides upset the applecart in the semis by beating their higher-ranked hosts. The Urchins stunned many in the non-league game last year by winning the FA Trophy at Wembley. After a slow start to this campaign, they finished strongly and are now 90 minutes away from another very successful season. Tickets are £12 and go on sale at midday on 28 April

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 April 2022

TLFG: 19-24 April 2022

With the Easter programme of fixtures now behind us, the end of the season is nigh.

On Saturday, all leagues from the seventh to 10th tiers see their regular seasons conclude, which means it could be a pretty exciting week for some clubs.

A little disappointingly, quite a lot has already been decided but there are a handful of really important games which I've outlined in the 'Daily Digest' below.

Talking of Easter, how many games did you manage to cram in?

With all my other commitments, I got to Earlsmead for the Harrow Borough v Walton Casuals game as I mentioned last week.

A fine afternoon out with my girls at Harrow Borough

It was competitive but not a classic, with the Boro missing numerous gilt-edged chances in a 0-0 draw.

For me it was a landmark moment as it saw me attend a game with both my daughters for the first time.

When the three-year-old said she wanted to go home after 10 minutes I thought it was going to be a long afternoon.

Thankfully with the help of my eldest, we made it through fairly easily in the end, with a trip to the tea bar for chips and a Kit-Kat being the highlight.

A solid midtable finish is certain for Steve Baker's side and when you combine this with the team's memorable FA Cup run too, this season can go down as a success.

Whether he can keep the squad together remains to be seen but if the attacking talents of James Ewington and George Moore can be retained, then they'll have more than a fighting chance of holding their own again.

Given who's going up and down between the divisions, I'd be quite surprised if Harrow are in the same division next season.

At this level, all the clubs are divvied up between the parallel regional leagues at the start of the season on geographical basis.

Clubs on the edge of catchment areas often really suffer and Harrow have found themselves in that position since joining the Southern League in 2018.

Don't get me wrong, I've loved some of the away days and would be happy to see them stay where they are but regular trips to places like Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Wales don't come cheap and can be a real burden for a club of Harrow's size.

Personally I think Harrow will end up in the Southern League's Premier Division Central or they'll return to their old stomping ground in the Isthmian League - I'd prefer the former and all the new grounds it would bring.

Anyway I think that's about it from me. I'm working late shifts for the next seven days so I won't be seeing any football for a while.

Oh yes, before I go, there's a possible 'Groundhop Triple' on Saturday - check the digest below for details.

Whatever you get up to - enjoy! 

                                                             THE WEEK AHEAD

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

Tuesday 19 April

Championship
Fulham v Preston North End @745pm - this could be the game that the Cottagers seal their return to the Premier League. It should've happened over the weekend but they suffered a shock defeat by strugglers Derby at Pride Park. With Nottingham Forest winning on Monday then they'll need to win here to go up. Unsurprisingly, it's sold out

Professional Development League
Charlton Athletic v Cardiff City @1pm - if you've never been to The Valley before, this U23 match provides you with a good chance to do it on the cheap. However, Charlton games are notorious for changing venue at short notice so check before you leave

CCL Premier North
Southall v Tadley Calleva @745pm - with Abbey Rangers only managing a draw at Ascot on Monday, the 'All will now finish as runners-up whatever happens here. This means at least a play-off spot and possibly automatic promotion

MCFL Premier
NW London v Larkspur Rovers @745pm - currently top, the hosts are looking increasingly likely to take the title. I say likely as a couple of teams below them have games in hand which complicates the table. One of those are Larkspur and they really need to win here to keep any hopes of finishing top alive

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Wednesday 20 April

Premier League
Chelsea v Arsenal @745pm - postponed because of the Blues' participation in the Club World Cup, we've got this huge London derby to look forward to on Wednesday. The hosts have pretty much got a top-four finish confirmed but it's not the case for the Gunners who, with four defeats from five, keep wasting chances to join them. The slight bit of good news is that they've taken four points from their last two visits to Stamford Bridge. As I understand it, tickets are not available because of sanctions

Isthmian Premier
Cray Wanderers v East Thurrock United @745pm - there's a big relegation 'six-pointer' at Hayes Lane where two of the bottom four fight for three precious points. In this division, the bottom two go down automatically and the third bottom club go into a play-off for survival

CCL Division 1
London Lions v AFC Hayes @745pm - Hilltop drew with Enfield Borough on Monday, meaning the hosts will become champions if they win here

MCFL Premier
Pitshanger Dynamo v Brentham @745pm - this 11th-tier match has got a lot going for it. It's a local derby, Brentham are still in with a shot of the title and it's being played at Ealing Trailfinders rugby club (not the main stadium) which should get groundhoppers excited as it did when Piccadilly FC played there last year

Middlesex Junior Cup Final
AFC Spelthorne v Hayes & Hillingdon @745pm - the county cup finals are going to start coming thick and fast now. This one features a couple of 12th-tier teams and it's being played at North Greenford United

CCL Women's Cup Semi-Final
London Seaward v Ashford Town (Middlesex) @745pm - for fans of the women's game, this cup match at Wadham Lodge looks interesting. The hosts play a level above Ashford but they've upset higher-ranked clubs already this season and have just sealed the London & South East League title ahead of clubs like Fulham and Millwall
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Thursday 21 April

London Underground League
South Western Railway v Waterloo & City Line @4pm - if youth football isn't for you then this match in the increasingly popular LU League could be. Played at the Market Road facility near Caledonian Road Tube, this Second Division derby game will see new club SWR seal promotion with a victory over their local rivals 

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Friday 22 April

Suburban League
Bromley v Chippenham Town @730pm - it's all about youth and development football on Friday and I'd say this U23 game is the pick of what's on offer. Currently third and second, either will go top with a win in what is a very tight title race

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Saturday 23 April

Premier League
Arsenal v Manchester United @1230pm - out of form and on a very tough run of games, this week may well come close to determining whether the Gunners finish in the top four. If they beat Chelsea and follow it up with another win over the Red Devils then things will look a lot different from how they do now. Arsenal's recent bad form has let the visitors right back into the race for the top four so the stakes are high for both. Tickets are not available to non-members
Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur @530pm - with four wins from their last five, the Bees' players and fans are having the time of their lives. Now up to the dizzying heights of 11th, it's now more about how high they can finish rather than whether they'll go down. Spurs looked like favourites to finish fourth until they lost at home to Brighton on Saturday. As a result, all the pressure will be on them during this derby. If selected, it will also be Christian Eriksen's first game against his old club. Tickets are not available to non-members

League One
Charlton Athletic v Shrewsbury Town @3pm - with the Addicks and the Shrews now both safe from relegation, there's not a huge amount riding on this which could actually produce a great game as the pressure will be off. Tickets are available

League Two
Leyton Orient v Northampton Town @3pm - like Charlton, the O's season is over too but a place in the top half is still on if they win their remaining games. It's not like that for the Cobblers though who can still make it into the automatic promotion places. Tickets are available

National League
Boreham Wood v Bromley @3pm - a crosstown derby between two clubs who still have their eyes on a play-off place should be well worth a watch. The last meeting between them in September produced a five-goal thriller which The Wood edged 3-2 so hopefully we'll get something similar
Dagenham & Redbridge v King's Lynn Town @3pm - a game of significance at either end of the table, the Daggers are the highest-ranked London club in this division and best placed to get into the play-offs. The visitors looked consigned to relegation a long time ago but a decent run of form has given them an outside chance of avoiding the drop. However, if they lose here and other results go against them, they could go down

National League South
Dartford v St Albans City @3pm - the Darts lost their crunch match against leaders Maidstone on Monday, putting them out of the title race. They have, however, confirmed a play-off place but will want to build momentum ahead of these all-important games. The Saints, on the other hand, are in the race for the last play-off spot which, even at this late stage, still has nine clubs vying for it

Isthmian League Premier Division
Enfield Town v Bognor Regis Town @3pm - the Isthmian League reaches its final round of regular-season games on Saturday. The title has been won by Worthing and all four play-off places have been claimed with one of them going to the Towners. With their superior goal difference, Bishop's Stortford are likely to finish second whilst Cheshunt can't finish higher than fifth. It's therefore a battle for third between Enfield and Hornchurch who are level on points. For the north London club to claim third and get home advantage in the play-offs, they simply have to better the Urchins' result against Wingate & Finchley as their goal difference is vastly inferior

Isthmian League South Central
Bedfont Sports v Bracknell Town @3pm - on paper, the biggest game of the day in the eighth tier is this clash of the top two. However, there's not a lot riding on it as Bracknell have already won the title and Bedfont have confirmed their play-off spot and home advantage in the semi-finals. The only thing at stake is whether they or Chertsey finish as runners-up. With marginally better goal difference, they just have to match the Curfews' result to end up in second

CCL Premier Division South
Beckenham Town v Camberley Town @3pm - with the Becks losing at Raynes Park and Walton & Hersham beating Fleet Town, the title will be decided by the outcome of this game. As it stands, W&H have completed their fixtures and lead by two points. Therefore nothing less than a win here will give Beckenham the honours. For the record, Camberley are 12th and have nothing to play for

SCEFL Division 1
Tooting Bec v Forest Hill Park @3pm - there's not a huge amount left to decide in the 10th tier but one thing that does need to be determined is who will claim the final play-off place in this division. The Bec currently sit just outside the top five but have possibly the best run-in they could have asked for - two games against an already relegated bottom two. If they beat Chessington & Hook on Tuesday, then fifth will be theirs to lose

Anagram Records Trophy Final
NW London v Sandridge Rovers @745pm - being played at Uxbridge's ground in the evening, this match gives you the chance to easily see two games in a day. It pits the current Middlesex County League leaders against a midtable side from the parallel Herts County League so the smart money would appear to be on NW London

MCFL Premier
Clapton CFC v Larkspur Rovers @3pm - a large crowd is also expected in Walthamstow where the Tons play what is likely to be their last match at 'The Stray Dog' ahead of returning to their spiritual home at 'The Old Spotted Dog' in Forest Gate next season. They're neck-and-neck with NW London in the title race so it's essential they win here. Given the small capacity, you must have a ticket in advance and alcohol will not be allowed pitchside so don't bring any
Sporting Hackney v Indian Gymkhana Club @1130am - I've highlighted this simply because of the early kick off which makes a rare 'Groundhop Triple' possible on Saturday. The match is being played at Barking's ground and can be combined with a vast array of 3pm games before the Anagram Final at 745pm

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Sunday 24 April

Premier League
Chelsea v West Ham United @2pm - the Blues' run of big games continues with this important derby against a Hammers side chasing a European place. On Sunday, Chelsea sealed another FA Cup Final appearance by beating Crystal Palace and if they beat Arsenal on Wednesday then third will be pretty much be theirs. West Ham, on the other hand, could only manage a disappointing draw with Burnley at the weekend to slip to seventh. They've played more games than all those around them so they'll need to try and get something here or a further slip to eighth looms. Tickets are not available

FA Women's Super League
Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea @230pm - as we move into the last few games of the season, Spurs can have a huge say in who wins the title as they have to play both of the top clubs. First up they take on current leaders Chelsea who are a point clear of Arsenal. With the Gunners playing at lowly Everton, they'll almost certainly be top on Sunday night if Spurs do them a favour here but how likely is that???

FA Women's Championship
Crystal Palace v Watford @2pm - with Liverpool having already won the title, the rest of the top six are all still in with a chance of finishing second. Palace are among that pack whilst Watford are second bottom and still looking for a win to keep them up


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 April 2022

TLFG: 11-18 April 2022

Greetings everyone and welcome to the Easter Special on TLFG!

The forthcoming long weekend is one of the best times to be in London as a football watcher - there are loads of games everywhere at pretty much every level.

The highlight of the weekend is the men's and women's FA Cup semi-finals.

Both the men's games are sold out but there is still some availability for the women's matches - which is unsurprising when you consider Chelsea and Manchester City's men's and women's teams are playing on the same day!

Tickets for this London derby are on sale now

There are lots of derbies, promotion and relegation scraps and even the odd title decider so it's going to be exciting.

I hope to make it to Harrow Borough's match against Walton Casuals on 18 April and maybe one other game before that but I don't want to push my luck. 

Normally I'd ramble on a bit longer than this but I'm out of time.

Lastly this week, many thanks to Mark T from London and Julia R from Massachusetts, USA 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, FA Cup, EFL, most of our local non-league competitions and the Women's FA Cup 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 - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin



WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin
Monday fixtures - yellow 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 April

SCEFL Premier Division
Glebe v K Sports @745pm - with four games to go, the hosts are third and can't catch the top two. A win here would secure a third-place finish which would make them the top London club in the league

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Tuesday 12 April

Middlesex Senior Cup Final
Barnet v Brentford B @745pm - one of my favourite memories as a young Harrow Borough fan was watching them win this title by beating Wembley 1-0 in the 1993 final at Enfield's old Southbury Road ground. It was and is, for me, one of the highlights of the season. This time, the competition has one of its most illustrious line-ups for some years so the quality should be good. I was quite shocked to find that Barnet haven't been to the final since 1933 when they beat Staines Town after a replay. Brentford's second string won as recently as 2019 when they beat Harrow at Griffin Park - another one of my favourite Boro memories. This year, it's being played at Hampton & Richmond Borough. Adult tickets are £10 and you can buy in advance

Middlesex Charity Cup Semi-Final
Hanwell Town v Northwood @745pm - there's also a big match in the county's other major cup competition on Tuesday, which seems a slightly odd bit of scheduling. Two Isthmian League South Central clubs do battle for a place in the final

CCL Premier Division North
Southall v Abbey Rangers @745pm - with Hanworth having already taken the title, it's all about who finishes second. If they do then they'll earn at least a play-off spot, if not automatic promotion. The 'All are currently in second and have the points per game to go straight up while Abbey are fourth but still have a bit to do

ECL Division 1 South
Buckhurst Hill v Ipswich Wanderers @745pm - in the 10th tier there's a huge match taking place in Essex. It's second versus first and if the visitors win, they'll go five points clear with two games to go. The stakes are almost as high as they can get. To add a bit more spice to the occasion, this match was supposed to have been played last weekend but was controversially postponed at the last minute with Wanderers citing Covid issues. The ground is small and a big crowd is expected so tickets have been put on sale online for £6

SCEFL Division 1
Stansfeld v Larkfield & New Hythe @745pm - if Sutton Athletic fail to beat Lewisham Borough on Monday then Stansfeld can win the title here. The visitors are third and eyeing a second-place finish themselves so it should be good
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Wednesday 13April

Isthmian League Cup Final
Horsham v Margate @745pm - also known as the Velocity Trophy, this decent bit of silverware is up for grabs at Aveley's ground in Essex. In existence since the 1974/75 season, when I was born, this competition has never been won by either of these Premier Division sides. Margate are currently eight points ahead of Horsham in the league so should start as marginal favourites. Tickets are £10 and available on the gate

Surrey Senior Cup Semi-Final
Kingstonian v Chertsey Town @745pm - suspended during the pandemic, this is the first playing of the SSC since 2019 when Metropolitan Police took the crown. With 11 titles, the K's are one of the most successful clubs in the history of the competition and should start as favourites against the Curfews who play a level below them 
MATCH OFF

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Thursday 14 April

FA Women's Championship
London City Lionesses v Lewes @7pm - although there are some non-league and youth games taking place, this second-tier women's match would be my choice on Thursday if I was free. With the title already won by Liverpool, there's now a five-way scrap to see who finishes second. LCL have this game in hand which will put them third if they win

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Friday 15 April

League One
Charlton Athletic v Morecambe @3pm - the banquet of Easter football gets underway on Friday with this important game at the wrong end of the League One table. With only one defeat from five, the Addicks are already safe from relegation but they can do struggling AFC Wimbledon a huge favour if they beat the Shrimps who are just above of them. Tickets are available

League Two
Leyton Orient v Scunthorpe United @3pm - similar to the above but potentially more dramatic, the O's are all but safe and if they beat or draw with bottom club Scunthorpe then the Iron will lose their place in the EFL which they have held for 72 years. Tickets are available

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Barnet @3pm - with Boreham Wood's season seemingly coming off the rails, the Daggers are once again London's top club in this division. After their fine 2-0 win at Bromley on Saturday, Daryl McMahon's side could be peaking at the right time and now have the play-off places back in their sights. Barnet have had a better season this time but have still been hugely underwhelming and are not mathematically safe from relegation just yet

Isthmian League Premier Division
Hornchurch v Brightlingsea Regent @2pm - as I mentioned last week, the Urchins started slowly but are finishing very well indeed. Now up to third and only three points behind Bishop's Stortford, the runners-up spot is definitely a realistic target. The visitors are just above the relegation zone and badly in the need of the points

Isthmian League North Division
Romford v Aveley @3pm - the hosts have had a season to forget and have already confirmed that they will finish bottom. The Millers, on the other hand, are top and in a devilishly tight title race with Canvey Island and Stowmarket Town - they should and must win here

SCEFL Premier Division
Erith & Belvedere v Erith Town @3pm - it's derby day in south-east London. Currently sixth and seventh in the table and with promotion out of their reach, this is all about local pride

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Saturday 16 April

FA Cup Semi-Final
Manchester City v Liverpool @330pm - this weekend is all about the FA Cup in both its men's and women's versions. Topping the bill at Wembley is the first men's semi-final between the top two clubs in the country. In case you missed it, they warmed up for this on Sunday with an entertaining 2-2 draw in the Premier League. Given how well matched they are, this could well go to penalties. When you consider how good both sides have been in recent years, it seems almost unthinkable that the Reds haven't been to the final since 2012 and City have only made one of the last eight themselves. Tickets are unavailabe

Women's FA Cup Semi-Final
West Ham United v Manchester City @1215pm - the scheduling of the two women's semi-finals seems very unfortunate to me. Although the kick-offs have been staggered, it seems weird to have Man City's men and women on the same day and Chelsea's men and women both on Sunday as you will see below. But hey, what do I know. Unlike the men, City's women have been the most successful side in this competition in recent years, winning three of the last five finals. One of those was against West Ham in 2019 and they won it comfortably 3-0. Sadly for the Hammers, even though they have home advantage, I can't see it being much different this time. The game is being played at Dagenham & Redbridge and tickets are £8

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton & Hove Albion @1230pm - Spurs won 4-0 at Aston Villa on Saturday to keep themselves in the top four and even though Arsenal have a game in hand, Antonio Conte's side have momentum and are looking good. They were able to move three points clear of the Gunners because their bitter rivals suffered a surprise home defeat to the Seagulls so the club from N17 will have to avoid complacency at all costs. This match has sold out
Watford v Brentford @3pm - this weekend's results have been a bit of a disaster for the Hornets with their 3-0 loss at home to fellow strugglers Leeds particularly disappointing. Now six points adrift of safety, they need to pick up points fast. Many would've expected this to be a big relegation 'six-pointer' but Brentford's win against West Ham on Sunday now sees them eyeing a top-half finish. Tickets are available

Southern League Premier Division South
Hendon v Farnborough @3pm - even at this late stage in the season, four teams are still fighting it out for the title in this division. One of those are Farnborough who are currently third and three points off the lead. If rivals Taunton Town win in midweek then they will be six points behind coming into this. Therefore if they lose against the midtable Greens then their title aspirations will effectively end as their goal difference is vastly inferior

Isthmian League North Division
Grays Athletic v Brentwood Town @3pm - the game of the day in the eighth tier is this exciting looking all-Essex affair at Parkside. Fifth and fourth respectively, the sides are both looking good for a play-off spot as the next best teams are all five points behind with three games to go

SSML Premier Division
Hadley v New Salamis @3pm - it's first versus third at Brickfield Lane on Saturday. Sadly for the hosts, that's as good as it's going to get this season as the top two are on their own fighting for the title. Whatever happens, New Salamis confirmed promotion on Saturday by beating Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 8-1

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Sunday 17 April

FA Cup Semi-Final
Chelsea v Crystal Palace @430pm - with eight wins from their 15 appearances in the final, the Blues are the third most successful club in the history of the competition. They're currently third in the Premier League, are the reigning World and European champions and made last year's final too. Their credentials are formidable but midtable Palace have a habit of upsetting the big boys every so often - ask Manchester City who are regularly tripped up by them. If Patrick Vieira's side do pull off a shock, it will probably be the story of the weekend. Tickets are sold out

Women's FA Cup Semi-Final
Arsenal v Chelsea @1230pm - in the other women's semi, the top two in the WSL meet at Meadow Park for a repeat of last season's final which the Blues won comfortably. Chelsea seem to have Arsenal's number and I think they'll beat them again. Tickets are £8 and are selling out so don't delay! 

Premier League
West Ham United v Burnley @215pm - with the Hammers still trying to make sure of a place in Europe and the Clarets scrapping to avoid the drop, there's plenty to play for at London Stadium. Tickets are available

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Monday 18 April

Championship
Millwall v Hull City @3pm - the Lions thrashed Barnsley 4-1 on Saturday to leave them four points off the play-off places with five games to go. Hull are fifth from bottom but pretty much safe so have little to play for. It looks like Millwall's to lose. Tickets are available
QPR v Derby County @3pm - the R's season has fallen apart at precisely the wrong time. Pretty much a fixture of the top six all season, they've lost five on the trot and dropped to 11th. Although a play-off spot is still mathematically possible, the fact they are bottom of the division's form table makes it look incredibly unlikely. Derby are second bottom after being docked 21 points for financial issues but can still catch Reading if they put together an amazing final run of results. QPR have already lost three times to bottom club Peterborough this season, so the Rams could be in for a good afternoon. Tickets are available

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Wycombe Wanderers @3pm - with the Dons desperately trying to get out of the relegation zone and Wycombe trying to break into the play-off places, both sides really need to win but for very different reasons. Tickets are available

League Two
Sutton United v Newport County @3pm - after the heartbreak of losing last Sunday's EFL Trophy Final, the U's bounced back with a crucial 1-0 win in the derby against Leyton Orient on Saturday. This means they are still on course to grab a play-off berth but the battle is fierce with only seven points separating the sides from fourth to 11th. Newport are one of these sides and must be beaten. Tickets are available

National League
Wealdstone v Boreham Wood @3pm - Easter Monday is often about the derbies, especially at non-league level. The Stones' season is pretty much over and they'd love to put another dent in The Wood's promotion hopes

National League South
Dartford v Maidstone United @3pm - third versus first and a Kent derby, it doesn't come too much bigger than this. With five games to go, the visitors are seven points clear and seemingly heading back to the fifth tier. This match is so big that you have to have a ticket in advance and you can only buy them in person from the ground

Southern League Premier Division South
Hayes & Yeading United v Chesham United @3pm - there shouldn't be any issue getting a ticket at the SkyEx Stadium but there really should be as the hosts have played some great stuff this season, are currently top and are the division's highest scorers by some distance. As mentioned above, the title race is very tight so they badly need to win this. However, Chesham are sitting just one point and one place outside the top five so really need a win too

Isthmian League South Central Division
Chertsey Town v Bedfont Sports @3pm - with Bracknell having already secured the title, it's now all about who can win the play-offs. These two are second and third at the time of writing so are looking good for a place in the 'post-season'. However, like many other divisions, it's all getting very tight among the pack of promotion hopefuls and every point really counts

CCL Premier Divison South
Raynes Park Vale v Beckenham Town @1pm - one of the best things about bank holiday football is that the CCL start most of their games in the morning, meaning you can easily see two games in a day. Probably the biggest is this one which sees the sides currently in third and second slugging it out at Grand Drive. RPV could still just about nick second place off the Becks but they'd have to win this to have any chance

SCEFL Division 1
Stansfeld v Meridian VP @3pm - if the hosts don't wrap up the title on Tuesday then they'll have another excellent chance here. Meridian are in the bottom three and in real trouble


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 3 April 2022

TLFG: 4-10 April 2022

Welcome to the latest edition of TLFG.

I'm a bit pushed for time so rather than cut the 'Daily Digest', I'm going to keep this preamble brief instead.

I don't have a huge amount to report - I managed to go to two games this week.

First up I went to Wealdstone on Tuesday lunchtime to see QPR's U23 side lose 3-0 to Charlton Athletic.

All the goals came from Miles Leaburn, son of Addicks legend Carl.

Then on Saturday, my daughter played her first ever away game on real grass against Harefield United who had invited her Actonians U9s side for a friendly in the Middlesex village.

It was a rollercoaster of a game which the visitors came from behind to win 8-6 - happy days! 

There's not much else to report - the match maps are full to bursting with lost of extra youth games but check all the details before you travel.

Have a great week.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include games in the Premier League, EFL, most of our local non-league competitions and the Women's National League 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 - 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 4 April

Premier League
Crystal Palace v Arsenal @8pm - the week begins with the Patrick Vieira derby as the Palace boss takes on the club for which he won so many trophies as a player. The Eagles are in fine form and will move into the top half with a win. However, it's not going to be easy as the Gunners are on probably their finest run of the season too. Fifth, at the time of writing, Chelsea are now back in their sights after their loss to Brentford on Saturday. Tickets have sold out

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Manchester City @7pm - rather unusually, the Gunners' U23 side are also playing on Monday night with this big game against City taking place at the Emirates Stadium. With tickets to see the first team very hard to get without membership, this presents a great opportunity to see inside one of London's top stadiums. Admission is only £4 for adults but you must buy online in advance

Professional Development League
Charlton Athletic v Coventry City @1pm - earlier in the day, the Addicks' U23 team entertain Coventry at The Valley, giving you the chance to visit another main stadium on the cheap. However, I've seen no ticket details for this yet and Charlton's U23 games are notorious for changing venue at short notice - check with the club on Monday for the latest

SCEFL Division 1
Lewisham Borough v Stansfeld @745pm - the visitors are currently six points clear at the top with six games to go. If they win this game in hand at eighth-placed Lewisham, surely their nine-point lead will be too much for main challengers Sutton Athletic

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Tuesday 5 April

Championship
Millwall v Swansea City @745pm - with only one defeat from their last five, the Lions are just four points adrift of the play-off places. Although mathematically still in with a shout of a top-six finish, it's highly unlikely the Swans will make and their season is almost over. The Welsh club are unbeaten in five games against Millwall at The Den so appear to be a bit of a bogey team. Tickets are available

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Charlton Athletic @745pm - despite the installation of new boss Mark Bowen, the Dons' terrible losing run continued with a 2-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. The result leaves them in the relegation zone, four points adrift of safety. They now have to raise their spirits and their standards for this big derby against the Addicks. A recent three-game winning streak has all but secured the south-east London club's survival in the division so they should be able to play with less pressure. It's close to capacity already so visit the club's website to see if there are any tickets left

Professional Development League
QPR v Sheffield United @1pm - for the second day running, the PDL offers you the chance to see two games in a day as the R's U23 side play this game at Loftus Road at lunchtime. Games like these are usually pay what you want with all donations going to the club's community trust

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Boreham Wood @745pm - there's a derby in the fifth tier too where two clubs chasing a play-off spot do battle. The Wood were the toast of the division a few weeks ago - well in the hunt for the title and playing Everton in the FA Cup, it was all going so well. Sadly, that valiant performance at Goodison Park seems to have taken too much out of them as they've failed to win any of the six games since. Now eighth, they've got to win this and their other game in hand to get back into promotion contention. With three wins from five, the Daggers are just below the visitors in the table and will surely give them a challenging evening

Southern League Premier Division South
Hayes & Yeading United v Salisbury @745pm - Saturday's results mean there are only three points separating the top four clubs as the title race gets ever more exciting. H&YU are third, three points behind leaders Taunton who have a game in hand, so they simply have to win against a Salisbury side going nowhere in midtable

London Senior Cup Semi-Final
Barking v Brentford B @745pm - the Bees' second string have been to two of the last three finals but lost on both occasions. With a place in the Middlesex Senior Cup Final already secured, a cup double is looking highly likely this season. Barking haven't been to the final since 1980 and will start as considerable underdogs

CCL Premier Division North
Egham Town v Southall @745pm - with Hanworth having already won the title, it's all about the battle for the runners-up spot and these two are currently third and second so would appear to be the moan contenders

CCL Premier Division South
Banstead Athletic v Walton & Hersham @730pm - there's another game of major significance at Merland Rise where the struggling hosts welcome title-chasing W&H. The Swans are currently joint top with Beckenham Town but have played two games more, so winning here is absolutely essential

SSML Premier Division
Broadfields United v New Salamis @745pm - it's a similar story at the Tithe Farm where the visitors are also going for the title. Unlike the game above, New Salamis are three points clear at the top but have played two more than their main challengers Risborough Rangers. Broadfields are in the bottom five and should be beaten

CCL Division 1
Hilltop v Chalvey Sports @745pm - a game of huge importance at either end of the table. The hosts have suffered crucial 3-0 back-to-back defeats against main rivals London Lions and Rayners Lane in the last week. Still hanging on in second, they're now four points off the title pace and badly need to win against Chalvey who are second bottom and in need of every point they can get

MCFL Premier Division
NW London v Brentham @8pm - with the end of the season approaching, it's hard to know who's going to win this 11th-tier league as only eight points separate the top seven clubs. They've all played a very different amount of games so the table is quite hard to interpret. Of the leading pack, these two have played the fewest games so you could possibly surmise that they are the main challengers. Anyway, it's being played at Haringey Borough's ground so give it a go if you're in the area


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Wednesday 6 April

Champions League Quarter-Final
Chelsea v Real Madrid @8pm - in a week packed with big games, it doesn't get much bigger than this as reigning world and European champions Chelsea take on the most successful club in Champions League/European Cup history. The Blues come into this on the back of a surprise 4-1 home defeat to Brentford so they're preparation hasn't been great. The visitors are on course for winning the Spanish title after a 2-1 win at Celta Vigo put them 12 points clear on Saturday night. According to my records, the sides have only met five times before and Chelsea have yet to lose. Tickets are only available to members

Surrey Senior Cup Semi-Final
Kingstonian v Chertsey Town @745pm - suspended during the pandemic, this is the first playing of the SSC since 2019 when Metropolitan Police took the crown. With 11 titles, the K's are one of the most successful clubs in the history of the competition and should start as favourites against the Curfews who play a level below them

Middlesex Premier Cup Final
FC Deportivo Galicia v Bedfont & Feltham @745pm - there's a decent bit of silverware up for grabs at Hanwell Town's ground on Wednesday. Two very local rivals meet in a game tinged with controversy. FCD were thrashed by Rayners Lane in the semi-final but were reinstated after an ineligible player was found to have played for the victors. It caused a huge stir and the local MP even got involved but the decision stood and we have this line-up. With 115 goals from 35 league games, FCD are the highest scorers in the CCL Division 1 so a 0-0 after 90 minutes is highly unlikely

CCL Division 1
London Lions v Bagshot @8pm - almost a carbon copy of the Hilltop game on Tuesday - the hosts need a win to keep them on track for the title whilst the visitors need every point they can get to stay up

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Thursday 9 April

Europa League Quarter-Final
West Ham United v Lyon @8pm - the Hammers haven't enjoyed any European adventures of note since winning the Intertoto Cup in 1999. So this Europa League quarter-final is a truly historic moment for the club. Having seen off Sevilla, the virtual owners of the competition, in the last round, they'll more than fancy their chances against a mediocre Lyon side who find themselves 10th in the French league. Tickets are sold out

SSML Premier
Hadley v Harpenden Town @745pm - your next best option is this ninth-tier game between two of the top six in this division. With six games to go, the title is realistically out of Hadley's grasp but second is still possible

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Friday 10 April

Isthmian League North Division
Aveley v Hashtag United @745pm - with just four games to go, the Millers find themselves five points clear at the top and heading for a return to the seventh tier. They beat Essex rivals Hashtag 2-0 in the reverse fixture back in January

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Saturday 11 April

Premier League
Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion @3pm - the Seagulls ended their losing run on Saturday with an underwhelming 0-0 draw against bottom club Norwich. It's lucky their early-season form was so good as current results would probably see them battling to avoid the drop. With only 26 goals all season, they're in the bottom three when it comes to that statistic. Rather unsurprisingly, it ended 0-0 when the sides played at the Amex in October and I can easily see the Sussex club drawing a blank here too. Tickets are only available to members
Watford v Leeds United @3pm -it's not looking good for the Hornets but it's by no means over. Defeat at Liverpool left them three points adrift of safety and with Everton losing again on Sunday, they've still got a chance. Now unbeaten in three games, Leeds are eight points clear of the relegation zone and will come close to confirming safety if they win here. Tickets are not available 

Championship
Millwall v Barnsley @3pm - victory in midweek could leave the Lions on the cusp of the play-off places so this match against the relegation-threatened Tykes is a must win for both sides. The historic head-to-head record between these sides is very close indeed and games are often tight. Millwall won 1-0 at Oakwell in October and should edge this one too. Tickets are available

League One
AFC Wimbledon v MK Dons @3pm - the Dons face another devilishly tough game on Saturday in their quest to stay up. While the south London club desperately need the points, so do the visitors who are just one point off the automatic promotion places. Apart from anything else, these two clubs hate each other (you all know that), so the stakes couldn't be much higher. Tickets are not available

League Two
Sutton United v Leyton Orient @3pm - I always set to write a glowing preview which included news of Sutton's heroic EFL Trophy Final triumph but a 96th-minute equaliser saw Rotherham force extra-time before going on to win 4-2. With their league form having left them in recent weeks, ending the season with a decent bit of silverware would have been a huge success for one of the EFL's newest clubs. Now they have to get back to refocus on getting back into the play-off places which they've just dropped out of after spending most of the season there.They're only three points adrift so it won't take a lot to turn things around but repairing the psychological damage of Sunday's late defeat might be too much. A win in this derby against the O's would do wonders but they're like a new team under new boss Richie Wellens and climbing the table fast themselves. Tickets are available

National League
Bromley v Dagenham & Redbridge @3pm - it was a tough decision but my game of the day in the fifth tier is this all-London affair at Hayes Lane. After the joy of reaching their second FA Trophy Final in five years, the Ravens can now refocus their attention on getting back into the play-off places. With three games in hand on seventh-placed Grimsby, it can be done. As mentioned above, the Daggers are also in the mix so this is massive for  both clubs

National League South
Dulwich Hamlet v Oxford City @3pm - again it was tough call as to which game to pick in the sixth tier but I've gone for this as it's between the teams in eighth and sixth. With the top seven getting a play-off place, the Hamlet badly need this win. Only a point behind Hungerford, they could be back amongst the frontrunners by Saturday evening. Dulwich games often sell out so you're strongly advised to buy tickets in advance and arrive early to secure a good view of the action

Southern League Premier Division South
Metropolitan Police v Taunton Town @3pm - in the seventh tier it was an easy decision, with two of the title challengers in this division meeting for a crucial game. At the time of writing, they are the top two but midweek results could see that change slightly. The Met won 1-0 in Somerset back in August and would love to see a repeat of that

Isthmian South Central
Tooting & Mitcham United v Bedfont Sports @3pm - game of the day in the eighth tier sees the team third from bottom host the one third from top. The Terrors have had a very disappointing season, one which I didn't see coming. Bedfont, on the other hand, have had a campaign to savour with a great run in the FA Cup and a superb showing in the league. Both need the points but for very different reasons

CCL Premier Division South
Walton & Hersham v Raynes Park Vale @3pm - at the time of writing, these two are second and third in this ninth-tier division, although the hosts could be top by kick-off. Realistically it's a straight fight between Beckenham and W&H for the title but RPV have an outside chance and if midweek results and this game go their way, they could be just four points adrift

ECL Division 1 South
Buckhurst Hill v Park View @3pm - several of our local teams are in title contention in the 10th-tier leagues and Buckhurst Hill are one I haven't mentioned for a while. The Essex club are new to this level and have enjoyed a really impressive season. Saturday was set to be their biggest match of the season against title rivals Ipswich Wanderers but they controversially got the match postponed on Covid grounds at very short notice. As a result, Ipswich remain two points clear of Buckhurst Hill at the top with four games to play. Park View are fifth from bottom so really should be beaten

MCFL Premier Division
Clapton CFC v Brentham @3pm - the Tons return to Wadham Lodge for a game that could go some way to deciding who will win the title. As mentioned above, this division is very delicately poised. If Brentham win in midweek then this will be second versus fourth. The reverse fixture produced a highly entertaining 4-2 win for Brentham so hopefully we'll have more of the same and a crowd of 400+

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Sunday 10 April

Premier League
Brentford v West Ham United @2pm - both clubs have enjoyed a fine weekend with Brentford thrashing Chelsea and West Ham picking up another three points against Everton to stay in the top six. The Bees are now 11 points clear of the relegation zone and surely safe for a second season in the top flight - a fabulous achievement for a club of their size. The Hammers have also punched well above their weight this year and could conceivably still finish in the top four and arguably need the win more than the hosts. Brentford won at the London Stadium earlier in the season, so must be confident of doing well again here

Championship
Fulham v Coventry City @3pm - the Cottagers' 2-0 win at QPR ended their brief winless run and put them 14 points clear of third-placed Huddersfield, all but ensuring promotion back to the Premier League. Fulham have only lost six times this season with the heaviestdefeat  being a 4-1 drubbing by Sunday's opponents Coventry. The Sky Blues were in the top six for a long time but with only one win from five, they're down in 11th now. It appears that this match has sold out

Isthmian League Premier Division
Cray Wanderers v Hornchurch @3pm - if you can't get in to either of the above, then head to Bromley's ground where London's oldest club are in action. Cray have had a season to forget and are second from bottom. However, they're only a point behind three other clubs so they can stay up if they string some good results together. Hornchurch started slowly but now find themselves in the top four at the business end of the season and could conceivably finish second

FA Women's National League Division 1 South East
AFC Wimbledon v Harlow Town @2pm - the best of the women's action is to be found at Plough Lane, home of the Dons who are currently the top ranked London club in this division. On course to finish third, they should pick up all three points against one of the division's strugglers

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