Sunday 21 August 2022

TLFG: 22-29 August 2022

Welcome one and all to TLFG's August Bank Holiday Special which runs through to next Monday so you can plan for a full weekend of football watching.

It's worth noting some unusually early and late kick-off times which allow you to see multiple games on Saturday and Monday but more on that in the 'Daily Digest' below.

There are also a raft of FA Youth Cup games provisionally scheduled for next Monday evening but I would've thought most of those will be re-arranged and spread over the week so I haven't listed any of them yet. 

So what have you been up to this week?

Today, I made it out to my first match of the new campaign when I took my eldest daughter to watch Actonians take on Chesham United in their FA WNL season opener.

She also had the pleasure of being a mascot again - which without all the previous Covid protocols was much more of a fun experience.

I even got to do a bit of flag waving myself as part of a guard of honour welcoming both sides onto the pitch.

With a number of impressive new signings on show, the hosts took control and opened up a 2-0 half-time lead courtesy of Samaira Khan and Imogen Sinclair - her first ever goal for the club.

Actonians hosted Chesham United in their first match of the season

Chesham reduced the arrears before Sinclair scored again to make it 3-1.

With her face on the programme cover, it really looked set to be the defender's day.

But then misfortune struck when substitute Molly O'Reilly fell and damaged her neck.

Taking no chances, the referee called for an ambulance but with current waiting times so long, the match was abandoned with about 20 minutes still to play.

According the ref, with over 60 minutes played, it's now up to the league to decide whether the result stands so we'll have to wait and see.

It was a very disappointing end to proceedings but thankfully the player in question made it to hospital okay and didn't suffer any broken bones.

Overall though, another very positive experience at a women's football match and I can't wait for the next one.

Lastly this week, many thanks William B from Maryland, USA who donated to TLFG's coffee drinking fund - much appreciated.


THE WEEK AHEAD

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

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

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

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

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



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





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


Monday 22 August

Isthmian Youth League
The week gets off to a quiet start with a small selection of U18 games at Bedfont Sports, Carshalton Athletic, Chipstead and Walton & Hersham. Make sure you check all the details with the clubs before you travel, especially the venue

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Tuesday 23 August

EFL Cup Second Round
Watford v MK Dons @745pm - located just over 30 miles apart along the M1 motorway, this can probably be classed as a derby. However, according to my records, the sides have never played each other in any competition. If this was an FA Cup tie, then I'd expect there to be quite a bit of interest in this but it's not and consequently tickets are on general sale for £12

FA Cup Preliminary Round Replays
Northwood v Ashford Town (Middlesex) @745pm - there'll be no lack of seriousness at nearby Chestnut Avenue where two Isthmian League clubs will fight it out for a place in the First Qualifying Round after producing a 2-2 draw on Saturday
Buckhurst Hill v Stansted @745pm - the hosts are playing in the FA Cup for the first time and picked up the notable scalp of Southern League club Walthamstow in the last round. Stansted play in the Essex Senior League like themselves so there's no reason why they can't win again
Edgware & Kingsbury v AFC Dunstable @745pm - after grabbing a very late equaliser for a 2-2 draw at Creasey Park, E&K get another chance to make progress as AFC Dunstable head to north-west London

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Wednesday 24 August

FA Cup Preliminary Round Replay
Grays Athletic v Stotfold @745pm - the Blues thought they'd won it when Sam Bantick put them ahead in the last minute of Saturday's original tie but they conceded an even later goal and had to settle for a 2-2 draw. Playing a level above their opponents, who hail from Bedfordshire, Grays should start as favourites

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Thursday 25 August

Essex Alliance League Senior Division
Frenford Development v Chadwell Heath Spartans @745pm - from time to time I like to throw in the odd 11th tier match, especially if it's quiet, and this match not far from Gants Hill Tube station should keep you entertained on Thursday
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Friday 26 August

Premier League 2
There are a couple of decent U21 games on Friday with Chelsea entertaining Manchester City at Kingsmeadow and Tottenham Hotspur playing Liverpool a little to the north of London at Stevenage's ground. Tickets for both are £5 and I would recommend buying in advance - the latter are available from Stevenage's website

FA Vase First Qualifying Round
The FA Vase is a national knockout competition primarily for clubs in the ninth and 10th tiers with its final at Wembley towards the end of the season. Newport Pagnell Town are the reigning champions
West Essex v Harwich & Parkeston @745pm - the home team, who play in Walthamstow, are relatively new to senior football and this is only the seventh season that they've played in the Vase. Their record is far from illustrious and they've never been beyond the next round. However, H&P play a level below them so they should start as favourites
Woodford Town v Haverhill Borough @745pm - elsewhere, in north-east London, the re-formed Woodford Town will try and recapture the form they showed in going all the way to the Fourth Round in 1987. On that occasion they went out to Haverhill Rovers so they'll be hoping the other club from that town won't also be their undoing
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Saturday 27 August

Premier League
Brentford v Everton @3pm - after the high of thrashing Manchester United 4-0 last weekend, the Bees were brought back down to Earth when Aleksandar Mitrovic scored a last-minute goal to give Fulham a 3-2 win over them in a thrilling derby. On Saturday they return home for what would appear to be a winnable game against an Everton side who continue to struggle after successfully avoiding relegation last season. The Merseyside club lost home and away to Brentford last season and look likely to come unstuck here too. Tickets are only available to members
Chelsea v Leicester City @3pm - the Blues suffered a surprising 3-0 loss at Leeds on Sunday to slip into the bottom half of the table. Despite this, they should still be confident of picking up the points here as the Foxes are yet to win and in the bottom three. Tickets are not available
Arsenal v Fulham @530pm - the day finishes with an intriguing derby with two sides who have started the season better than many would've predicted. The Gunners are light years better than they were this time last year, with their comfortable 3-0 win at AFC Bournemouth making them the only side with maximum points after three games. The Cottagers have dropped some points but have yet to lose and must be chuffed with their current position of seventh. However, the omens don't look great as the West London club's record against Arsenal is poor with one win from their last 15 attempts and only eight in their entire history. Tickets are not available to non-members

Championship
Millwall v Reading @3pm - the Lions lost 2-0 at Norwich on Friday night to get their weekend off to a bad start but overall they'll probably be pretty satisfied with seven points from their opening five games - a record that sees them tied with four other teams just outside the play-off places. The Royals have made an even brighter start with their win over Middlesbrough lifting them to third. Millwall are unbeaten in five against the Berkshire club. Tickets
Watford v QPR @3pm - it's derby day at Vicarage Road where these old rivals meet once again. It's fair to say that both clubs have more bitter rivals but at only around 15 miles apart, this has a bit of spice to it. Unbeaten so far this season and having just come down from the Premier League, the Hornets should start as strong favourites against an R's side who haven't quite got going yet. The away end has already sold out and home areas are also close to capacity so you could well struggle to get a ticket

League Two
AFC Wimbledon v Barrow @3pm - the Dons enjoyed a morale-boosting 2-0 win at Crawley Town on Saturday to move into the top 10 but they face a much tougher challenge this weekend. Barrow have won four of their opening five games and are third - a vast improvement from the club who finished just above the relegation zone last season. Tickets
Leyton Orient v Hartlepool United @3pm - the O's have made an even better start than Barrow, with four wins and a draw to top the division. It is early days and we saw the east London club start well last year before a poor three months between December and February killed off any promotion ambitions. The visitors have yet to win and look to be there for the taking. Tickets
Sutton United v Mansfield Town @3pm - the hosts have yet to recapture the form that saw them among the frontrunners for most of last season but they are the only side to have beaten the decent Barrow team mentioned above. Mansfield are just outside the play-off places but arrive in the knowledge that the U's managed to do the double over them last season. Tickets

Premier League 2
West Ham United v Everton @12pm - if you fancy seeing a couple of games on Saturday afternoon then this U21 match at the Hammers' Rush Green training facility gives you the perfect opportunity. Entry for games here is usually £5 on the gate and you'll be in easy reach of the FA Vase matches at Frenford, Ilford and Redbridge which take place at 3pm

National League
Bromley v Scunthorpe United @3pm - the Iron dropped out of the EFL last season and are finding the readjustment to life in non-league tough. With one win from their opening four games, they're in the relegation zone already. With back-to-back wins over Torquay and Aldershot, Bromly have made a more positive start and are in the top eight

National League South
Welling United v Chelmsford City @3pm - on the current standings, the game of the day in the sixth tier sees two of the top seven meet at Park View Road. The Wings have struggled recently so it's good to see them make a positive start

Southern League Premier Division South
Hanwell Town v Tiverton Town @3pm - the Geordies are new to this level but have made an impressive start. Aside from losing to current leaders Truro City, they've won their other three games to move up to fourth. The visitors, making a long journey up from Devon, have only lost once so might be tough to beat. Prior to the game, there will be a charity match between Hanwell fans and their counterparts from Newcastle United who are based in London, as the clubs continue to celebrate their historical links

Isthmian League North
New Salamis v Bury Town @3pm - the hosts are another side to be playing at a higher level for the first time this season. Groundsharing at Haringey Borough, the club with its roots in the Cypriot community, have made huge strides up the pyramid in recent years. They've started this campaign by winning their opening two and it will be interesting to see how they fare against a decent Bury side who used to be a force in the Premier Division

FA Vase First Qualifying Round
Edgware & Kingsbury v Leverstock Green @3pm - it's quite hard to recommend games at this stage of the season as teams are still settling down so I'm only going to highlight this one which looks pretty decent. The recently renamed E&K have made a promising start and are in the top six in the CCL Premier North whilst the visitors are joint top in the SSML Premier

CCL Premier North
London Lions v Wembley @3pm - this ninth-tier match between two north London clubs should be worth a watch. The hosts enjoyed promotion from the CCL Division 1 last season and have won their three opening games to top the CCL Premier North. Matching them with three wins are Wembley who sit just behind them on goal difference

FA Women's Championship
Crystal Palace v Coventry United @7pm - being played at Bromley's ground in the evening, it's very possible to see three games on Saturday. The Eagles began the season with a valuable 1-0 away win at last season's runners-up London City Lionesses so should go into this match with some confidence. The visitors avoided relegation on the final day, at Watford's expense, and began this season with a 1-0 loss at home to Bristol City

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Sunday 28 August

FA Vase First Qualifying Round
May & Baker v Stotfold @3pm - SSML Premier side Stotfold make their second journey of the week to Parkside as they take on an impressive May & Baker side who are currently top of the ECL Division 1 South - this tie has real cupset potential

Women's friendly
Chelsea v Tottenham Hotpsur @2pm - the Blues won the WSL and Women's FA Cup last season and complete the preparations for the new season with this friendly against fellow top-flight club Spurs at Kingsmeadow. With the sides not due to meet in the league for another three months, this seems to make sense. Tickets are available online 

FA Women's Championship
Charlton Athletic v London City Lionesses @430pm - in the second tier there's a south-east London to enjoy. The Addicks started their campaign with a very tidy 2-0 win at Southampton while LCL lost to Crystal Palace. Another win here for Charlton should mark them out as strong contenders

FA WNL Southern Premier
London Bees v Crawley Wasps @2pm - having won 2-1 at newly promoted Billericay on the opening day, the Bees welcome Sussex club Crawley to The Hive following a 6-1 drubbing by MK Dons

FA WNL Division 1 South East
AFC Wimbledon v QPR @2pm - after holding last season's runners-up Hashtag United to a 0-0 draw on the opening day, the Dons take on the R's at Carshalton Athletic's ground. QPR lost 4-2 at Cambridge City on Sunday and could really struggle against a Wimbledon side who are fancied to do well

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Monday 29 August

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Bromley @3pm - the August Bank Holiday is all about non-league football and there's a derby to look forward to at the Chigwell Construction Stadium. There are another round of games before this so a lot could change but they're 14th and eighth at the time of writing
Wealdstone v Yeovil Town @3pm - with three wins from four, the Stones have definitely been one of the surprise packages so far. Up to second, just behind local rivals Barnet, their match against former Championship side Yeovil should be well worth a watch. For a big match like this, I would definitely urge you to buy tickets in advance if you want to go
Barnet v Eastleigh @515pm - to complete the action in the fifth tier, there's also a televised game to take you into the evening. At the time of writing, the Bees are a point clear at the top while Eastleigh are among the play-off chasing pack, just three points behind

National League South
Dulwich Hamlet v Welling United @3pm - there's also a derby at Champion Hill that should be worth a couple of hours of your time. Over 2,000 crammed into the ground to watch the Hamlet play Slough on Saturday so I'd strongly recommend you to buy tickets in advance if this appeals

Isthmian League Premier Division
Kingstonian v Carshalton Athletic @3pm - this match always had a whiff of a derby about it but it most definitely does now that the K's have moved to a new groundshare with Tooting & Mitcham United
Haringey Borough v Wingate & Finchley @3pm - effectively located either side of the hill on which the iconic Alexandra Palace dominates the skyline, these two clubs meet for an alternative North London Derby at Coles Park. Neither have started particularly well so this is also an early season six-pointer

Southern League Premier Division South
Harrow Borough v Hayes & Yeading United @3pm - there's also a derby in West London too where these old local rivals meet once again. H&YU narrowly missed out on the title last season and will start as favourites here

Isthmian League South Central
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Bedfont Sports @3pm - there's also a very local derby near Heathrow where two clubs who reside along the airport's southern perimeter go in search of some crucial points

CCL Premier North
London Lions v Edgware & Kingsbury @1130am - regular readers will know that one of the highlights of most Bank Holidays is the Combined Counties League scheduling most of their fixtures for 1130am meaning you can usually catch at least two games in a day. There are also lots of derbies in the ninth and 10th tiers, including this one which is between two of the clubs in the top six at the time of writing

SCEFL Premier
Glebe v Stansfeld @3pm - there's a groundshare derby in Chislehurst where tenants Stansfeld, who won promotion last season, look to get the better of their landlords

CCL Division 1
London Samurai Rovers v CB Hounslow United @1130am - if you fancy a 10th-tier game, LSR have made a good start to the campaign and they should feel confident of another win against the visitors who've lost every match


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.

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