It's been another hectic weekend of youth and senior football with Actonians and as a result, I haven't had time to write a full guide at this point.
The maps are yours to peruse and Monday's Daily Digest is up but that's it for now.
I'm off work on Monday and will attempt to have the rest up by lunchtime.
UPDATE - we're all good to go, with this week's 'Daily Digest' now up for the whole week.
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| Crystal Palace host Botafogo in a friendly on Saturday |
Apologies again for the late publication this week - Sunday was spent on the road with Actonians as they played Ashford United in the Women's FA Cup.
With a place in the Third Round at stake, they started as strong favourites against a team from two divisions below them.
In true FA Cup fashion, the underdogs took the lead and dominated the first half before the A's managed to regroup and take control of the tie.
They eventually won 3-1 (see my full report here) to take their place in Monday's draw alongside all the Women's Championship sides who enter the cup at this stage.
It's a big moment for Actonians, who have never been beyond the Third Round before, and could see them make a lot of money.
THE WEEK AHEAD
The highlights of the next few days include a high-profile friendly and games in the EFL, National League, FA Vase, Women's Super League and many other games in our local non-league and women's competitions.
As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.
Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.
Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.
It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top.
MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Monday fixtures - yellow pin
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin
Friday fixtures - black pin
WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
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 28 November
Premier League Cup
QPR v Derby County @7pm - the R's B team get the week underway again with another match in this U21 competition. Being played at Hanwell Town's ground, QPR's second string games usually produce loads of goals with 30 coming from just the last five! With Rangers only sending two players to the World Cup, they could well field a strong side here. Admission is usually around £5
Isthmian League Premier
Carshalton Athletic v Billericay Town @745pm - if you'd prefer something a bit more meaningful, head south to Colston Avenue where the Robins could move into the top six with a big win here
Isthmian League Cup Third Round
Walton & Hersham v Southall @745pm - two of the better sides in the Isthmian League's second tier meet for a cup of cup football at the Elmbridge Xcel Leisure Complex. On paper, the hosts should start as favourites
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Tuesday 29 November
Middlesex Senior Cup Second Round
Edgware & Kingsbury v Wealdstone @745pm - my pick of the action on Tuesday night is this David v Goliath contest at Silver Jubilee Park. The hosts play four divisions below the Stones and start as massive underdogs. However, the visitors are unlikely to field their strongest team so E&K should have a chance UPDATE - this match is on Wednesday
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Wednesday 30 November
Premier League International Cup
Arsenal v Sparta Prague @7pm - the Gunners' U21 side return to European action at Boreham Wood's ground with this match against Czech opposition. So far unbeaten in this competition, Arsenal will hope for a positive result again
Surrey Senior Cup First Round
Kingstonian v Corinthian Casuals @745pm - these two Isthmian League clubs were sharing a ground until last season. However, over the summer, the K's moved out and relocated to share with Tooting & Mitcham United. Wins have been at a premium for both this season so it should be close
Isthmian League South East
Beckenham Town v Chatham Town @745pm - two of the top six meet at Eden Park Avenue for what should be a highly intriguing game. If Chatham win they'll go top
CCL Division 1
RB Kensington v Sandhurst Town @745pm - it's an identical story at Berkeley Fields where two of the top six in this division prepare to do battle. Similar to the match above, Sandhurst will go top with a win
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Friday 2 December
League One
Charlton Athletic v Cheltenham Town @745pm - there's a rare bit of Friday night football to enjoy at The Valley this week. Now winless in four in the league and unable to beat League Two Stockport County in the FA Cup, the Addicks are badly in need of a good result here. The Robins are down in 18th but are climbing the table after managing a 1-0 win over Wycombe last Saturday. Tickets
Essex Senior League
Buckhurst Hill v White Ensign @745pm - the best non-league option of the night takes place towards the north-eastern end of the Central Line. The hosts are spending their first season in the ninth tier and are doing well after a rocky start. Depending on midweek results, a win here against struggling opponents could see them move into the top six
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Saturday 3 December
Friendly
Crystal Palace v Botafogo @1230pm - arguably the match of the week, certainly for the neutral, is this eye-catching friendly between Palace and this Brazilian side. Hailing from Rio, their season finished two weeks ago and they came 11th in the country's 20-team top flight. Adult tickets are £20
League Two
Leyton Orient v Bradford City @1230pm - if you're looking for a more competitive game, then head to Brisbane Road where the leaders welcome fellow promotion chasers from Yorkshire. Having already exited the FA Cup, the O's had this weekend off so should return well rested for this important game. Already five points clear, they could potentially increase that lead to a very commanding eight points with victory here. Tickets
AFC Wimbledon v Grimsby Town @1230pm - after a recent upturn in form in the league, the Dons suffered the disappointment of losing to non-league Chesterfield in the FA Cup on Saturday. The Mariners are experiencing pretty much opposite fortunes at the moment, struggling in the league but winning in the cup - they caused an upset by beating Cambridge United on Saturday. On paper, the hosts should win but your guess is as good as mine! Tickets
National League
Barnet v Wealdstone @1230pm - if you want a game with a bit of an edge to it, head to The Hive where two local rivals who really don't like each other meet for the first time this season. As far as I'm aware, the Stones fans don't get on with the Bees because they've ended up in the ground which was initially intended for them - it's a long story but that's it in a nutshell. Last season, significant damage was done to the ground so I imagine security will be tight. As for the match itself, Barnet are in fine form and should be favourites to get the points which well cement their spot in the play-off places. I haven't seen anything about any ticket restrictions but if you want to go, I would advise buying tickets in advance
Bromley v Yeovil Town @1230pm - not far behind them, the Ravens could join them in the top seven with a win here. With only one win in five, they badly need to start stringing a few good results together and they should be capable of getting one here against one of the division's strugglers
Dagenham & Redbridge v Torquay United @1230pm - if Bromley slip up, it's likely that they'll be leapfrogged by the Daggers who sit just below them on goal difference. Having won their last three, they should have too much for the bottom club
Isthmian League Premier Division
Enfield Town v Bishop's Stortford @1230pm - there are no sixth-tier games on Saturday but there are several really good seventh-tier ones, with this just about edging it as my pick. Currently fourth and fifth and not a million miles apart geographically, this match shows a lot of promise and should draw a good crowd
Isthmian League South East
Cray Valley PM v Chatham Town @1pm - it looks like being a tough week for title challenging Chatham who make their second visit to a top-six club in a matter of days. As mentioned above, they could well be top by the time this game kicks-off
FA Vase Third Round
Harefield United v North Greenford United @2pm - this national competition for clubs in the ninth and tenth tiers is no down to its last 64 clubs. First up we have this all-CCL Premier North game between two sides on the west side of town. Although NGU are down in the bottom four, they've played fewer games than anyone in the division and haven't met Harefield yet so it's hard to predict who will win
Stansfeld v Erith Town @3pm - there's little doubt that the tie of the round in the London area is this one between two of the top three in the SCEFL Premier. Being played at Glebe's ground, this is another tough one to call. Only two points separate them in the league and they've yet to play each other this season - it looks like a cracker
Sporting Bengal United v Deal Town @3pm - tenth-tier club SBU are one of the lowest-ranked teams left in the competition so they've done incredibly well to get this far. After recording a stunning 6-3 at Glebe in the last round, they should have some confidence facing a team from the same division
ECL Division 1 South
Frenford v Burnham Ramblers @3pm - one point clear at the top of this tenth-tier division, Frenford have had a fine season but if they are to shake off the chasing pack and build more of a lead they really need to beat Burnham who are third
MCFL Premier Division
Kensington Dragons v Shepherds Bush @2pm - for me, the game of the day is this 11th-tier derby at the Linford Christie Stadium on the edge of Wormwood Scrubs. The ground is located in W12 - famously the Shepherds Bush postcode always used on BBC shows in my youth, but it's the Dragons who call it home. The visitors were only formed at the start of last season and won their division but don't have a stadium of their own. They spent the last campaign at Brunel University in Uxbridge and are now at Rectory Park in Northolt. Will they be bringing football home on Saturday???
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Sunday 4 December
FA Women's Super League
Arsenal v Everton @2pm - after the disappointment of losing to Manchester United in front of thousands of fans at the Emirates Stadium, the Gunners return to Super League action against the Toffees. Having surrendered top spot to Chelsea, they'll need to beat a very inconsistent Everton side or risk finding themselves six points adrift of the Blues on Sunday night. Tickets
FA Women's Championship
London City Lionesses v Southampton @2pm - the game of the day in the second tier sees the leaders host the side in third. LCL finished as runners-up to Liverpool last season and are pushing hard for the title again, going top after Bristol City's loss to Birmingham just over a week ago. The Saints are new to this level after winning promotion from the National League and are acquitting themselves well. Aside from defeat in their opening game, they haven't lost a league game since meaning they are now eight without defeat
Women's FA Cup Second Round
Watford v Crawley Wasps @1pm - after seeing last weekend's match postponed, National League Southern Premier title contenders Watford welcome strugglers Crawley to Grosvenor Vale. The winners travel to Crystal Palace in the next round
FA Women's National League Cup Second Round
London Seaward v Plymouth Argyle @2pm - there's a real chance of a cupset here as Walthamstow based Seaward take on one of the strugglers from the division above them
FA Women's National League Division 1 SE
Actonians v Cambridge City @2pm - the A's will be looking to make it eight wins from nine games when they play a side sitting just above the relegation zone. Having beaten them 4-2 in a cup match already, they should fancy their chances
GET INVOLVED
If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.
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