TLFG: 22-29 May & 3 June 2023

So here we are - the end of another season.

The 2022/23 campaign has been TLFG's 12th and it's been a very different one for me.

For a whole host a reasons, not least the cost of living, my main focus over the last few months has been women's football and Actonians.

I won't bore you with all my thoughts on that again but it's been very refreshing and hugely rewarding.

The other highlights of my year were of course the amazing trip to Athletic Bilbao and all that's followed from it and another record beating Non-League Day which saw the event climb to new highs.

QPR had a very tough season, going from top spot in the Championship in October to scraping survival from relegation by the end.

There's a European final at Selhurst Park on Tuesday and tickets are available

The R's used three managers in the process and somehow delayed Burnley winning the title with a shock win at Turf Moor in the closing weeks to give them the platform to stay up.

This is my 40th year as a QPR fan but I didn't go to see a single first-team game despite living a five-minute walk from the stadium.

It was weird listening to the crowd on the days when I was around but in economic terms, I wasn't deriving enough utility from going to be able to justify the cost.

I also watched very little of Harrow Borough either.

My favourite non-league side also had a season to forget and ended up getting relegated.

Having stayed at this level for years, it was a sad time for the club but with crowds dwindling and costs rising, relegation was probably for the best.

Or so we thought...

Then last Monday happened.

I was taking my youngest daughter to a physio appointment at one of the big London hospitals and the FA non-league allocations came out just as we were about to be seen.

Thanks to incredibly poor phone reception within the building, I wasn't sure if I'd read it right or if there were any caveats, but out of nowhere, Harrow had received a reprieve from relegation!

There had been no warning or even suspicion that this was coming and my phone and social media began to light up with incredulous messages from Boro fans reacting to the news.

Sadly reprieves are only ever issued at someone else's expense and in this case it was Metropolitan Police who had voluntarily applied for relegation to the eighth tier over funding issues.

Back out in the open air after the appointment, I received confirmation from a number of sources that the reprieve was real and we would spend another year in the Southern League Premier South.

However, there was no reaction from the club themselves.

The club's website and social media had absolutely nothing about this amazing news.

As time went by, the silence continued and then nearly 36 hours later, the club came out and said they were considering appealing against the reprieve!

The messages and posts started going crazy again as fans contemplated the idea of their own board choosing relegation over survival.

Given that the reprieve had come completely out of the blue, the club's argument was that they had planned and budgeted for a completely different scenario and had hired a new and relatively inexperienced manager for the job.

After the euphoria of Monday, I found myself in a very different position heading into the weekend.

Things began to turn again when I received news from a well-placed source at a rival club who said the mood had changed and Harrow would be choosing to stay up.

Thankfully on Saturday night, this rumour was confirmed and Harrow Borough are once again members of the seventh tier.

They say you never miss something until you lose it and I'd kind of taken Boro's position at this level for granted so when the season did finish, I was very disappointed.

This reprieve feels like such a golden opportunity for the club to regroup and push on, let's hope the board and fans make the most of it.

With five new clubs in the division, I'm really looking forward to it.

One final highlight for me this season was seeing my name in print in the Non-League Finals Day programme on Sunday.

I was working so couldn't go but a friend sent me a picture of my appearance in Tony Incenzo's column - many thanks to him for the mention.

Yours truly gets a mention

So this is it for a few weeks.

Apart from the FA Cup Final, there's nothing of any note taking place in London after the Bank Holiday.

I've seen clubs looking to play pre-season games from as early as 1 July so if there's enough taking place that week then I'll try and get a piece up in five weeks time.

Finally, many thanks to long time TLFG reader Kelvin W from London who donated to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund this week, it's hugely appreciated as are all the other contributions I've received from you lot this season.

My wife is very keen to stick as much of this blog as possible behind a Patreon paywall next season but I'm not sure I'd be happy with that or how I'd even make it work - so please keep donating to avoid that happening!

THE WEEK AHEAD

This week sees the final round of games in the Premier League and Women's Super League plus there's also the EFL play-off finals at Wembley. 

There are a couple of U21 finals too and some other miscellaneous fixtures to keep you ticking over.

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.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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.

22-26 MAY MATCH MAP

Monday fixtures - yellow pin

Tuesday fixtures - green pin

Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin

Thursday fixtures - purple pin

27 MAY-3 JUNE MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin

Sunday fixtures - orange pin

Monday fixtures - yellow pin

FA Cup Final, 3 June - green pin

    

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section, I list 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 May

Professional Development League Final

Millwall v Sheffield United @7pm - there might not be a lot on this week but things get off to a good start with this third tier U21 game at The Den. Having finished top of the South and North groups of the league, these two then made it safely through the semi-finals. Tickets are £5

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Tuesday 23 May

Premier League International Cup Final

Crystal Palace v PSV Eindhoven @7pm - there's an even more glamorous U21 final on Tuesday at Selhurst Park where this impressive Eagles side look to claim the silverware on home turf. To get this far, they've beaten Hertha Berlin, PSG, Braga, Liverpool and Valencia. Tickets are £5

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Wednesday 24 May

ERWFL Premier

Haringey Borough v Colney Heath @745pm - the only match on Wednesday is this women's game in north London. The hosts have already confirmed a fifth-place finish ahead of this final match of the season. The visitors will climb out of the bottom two with a win here

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Thursday 25 May

Suburban League

Uxbridge v Flackwell Heath @745pm - I've seen this U23 game described as both a cup final and a play-off game but I'm not sure which, either way there's a fair bit riding on it for those involved

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Saturday 27 May

Championship Play-Off Final

Coventry City v Luton Town @445pm - dubbed 'the richest game in football' for the access it brings to the Premier League and its TV money, this is always one of the biggest matches of the season. Played at Wembley in front of a what is usually a sell-out crowd, it's often full of drama. When I started watching football in the '80s, both these sides were in the top division and both won cups at Wembley. However, neither have been in the top flight for a while now with Coventry getting relegated in 2001 and Luton back in 1992. Both had a terrible off-field problems with the Sky Blues driven out of their stadium for a while and the Hatters plummeting all the way down to non-league for a few seasons. Now they're back and with Luton finishing third in the regular season and seeing off Middlesbrough in the play-off semi-finals, they should start as favourites here. Tickets are available from the clubs but you will need a previous purchasing history to have any chance of getting one

Women's Super League

Arsenal v Aston Villa @230pm - the Gunners' defeat to Chelsea on Sunday saw their slim title hopes come to an end. Now it's all about making sure they claim the final Champions League place. Given their goal difference is 11 better than fourth placed Manchester City, who are three points behind, it will take something very dramatic to stop that happening. Villa have already secured fifth place but lost by three-goal margins in the two previous games against Arsenal this season. Tickets have sold out

West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur @230pm - there's a fine looking derby in Dagenham to finish the season. Only three points apart in eighth and ninth, the winner will finish above the other as Spurs have better goal difference. The Hammers could even rise to seventh if they win handsomely here and Liverpool get well beaten by Manchester United in their game. Tickets

HSCL Premier

Belstone v Ware Sports @3pm - for hardcore groundhoppers and non-league fans, there is still an 11th-tier option within the M25 on Saturday. With games in hand, one of which is in midweek, the hosts still have a chance of winning the title and the visitors can also make it into the top three

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Sunday 28 May

Premier League

Arsenal v Wolverhampton Wanderers @430pm - with Manchester City having already clinched the title, the Gunners and Wolves have little to play for here. With runners-up spot and a place in the Champions League already secured, it's not going to get any better for Mikel Arteta's side. When Arsenal had been well clear at the top earlier in the season, tickets for this game were going for thousands of pounds but the atmosphere could be rather flat after seeing them blow their title chance. Tickets have officially sold out but I'm sure a few will be floating about on forums

Brentford v Manchester City @430pm - the Bees won at Spurs on Saturday to give themselves a chance of finishing seventh which would be a remarkable achievement. To do that, they simply have to beat the newly crowned league champions. That might sound like a formidable task but they did just that in November when they won the reverse fixture at the Etihad 2-1. Tickets are not available

Chelsea v Newcastle United @430pm - the Blues have had an absolute stinker of a season. Down in 12th, their defeat at Manchester City on Sunday means they will finish in the bottom half. If things go really badly in the final week, they could finish as low as 14th despite reportedly spending around £500m on new players this season. The Magpies are in no position to go easy of them either as they are locked in a very tight battle for a Champions League place with Liverpool and Manchester United. Tickets are available to season-ticket holders, members and their guests

Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest @430pm - the Eagles will complete their season against Forest in what should be a stroll for both teams. Roy Hodgson's side have been safe for several weeks whilst the club from the East Midlands secured their place in the top flight with a hugely important win over Arsenal on Saturday. Steve Cooper's side have done well to avoid the drop and there should be a party mood in the air on Sunday. Tickets have sold out

League Two Play-Off Final

Carlisle United v Stockport County @130pm - back at Wembley, these two sides will do battle for a place in the third tier. Carlisle finished just behind Stockport in the final League Two table, in part down to the fact that County took four points off them during the season. The Cheshire club also came into the play-offs in marginally better form so they're the slight favourites for me. Tickets will be going on general sale at both clubs on Monday and Tuesday respectively so see their websites for details

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Monday 29 May

League One Play-Off Final

Barnsley v Sheffield Wednesday @3pm - the EFL's play-off weekend comes to an end with this Yorkshire derby at Wembley. The Tykes edged past Bolton by 2-1 in the semi-finals whilst Wednesday took part in arguably the most dramatic game of the season against Peterborough on Thursday. Trailing 4-0 after the first leg, Darren Moore's side grabbed an injury-time equaliser to make it 4-4 and force extra-time. Posh then scored to go back in front only for Wednesday to equalise again to take the match to penalties which they won. It's hard to know how such a match will affect Wednesday's players but their resilience shouldn't be doubted going into this one. Tickets will be available from both clubs but given the size of their support, it's unlikely many will make it to general sale 

A bit further afield

International Surrey Football v Bangladeshi Select XI @145pm - after hosting Matabeleland on Saturday, ISF return to Dorking Wanderers' Meadowbank Stadium for another friendly. Situated just to south of London in the picturesque Surrey Hills, you can get here from central London by train in less than an hour. Tickets are £5

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Saturday 3 June

FA Cup Final

Manchester City v Manchester United @3pm - it's great to see the FA Cup Final restored to 3pm on a Saturday afternoon with nothing going up against it. It's a bit weird that it's in June but you can't have everything. Given the dominance of these clubs in English football over recent years and having been to the final 31 times between them, it might surprise you to know that these two have never met at this stage before. It's also been four years since City last won and seven years for United. Although Pep Guardiola's side have already won the league and start as favourites, United beat them 2-1 when they last played in January. Tickets are not available

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 Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here 

TLFG: 15-21 May 2023

Well dear readers, the season is winding down fast.

There's even less on than last week but there should be enough to keep you going and I've included one or two games from outside the M25 to plug a few gaps.

If you read last week's piece, you may have seen how I didn't expect to see any games this week but in the end I did.

With rail strikes affecting services to the West Country and with a slightly suspect knee, I opted to miss the Bristol Half Marathon and stay in London instead.

Actonians are second only to Chelsea in the West London women's football rankings

This gave me the chance to head to Bedfont Sports to watch the John Greenacre Memorial Trophy Final (aka the Greater London Women's Football League Cup) between Actonians Reserves and Tooting Bec.

With Actonians having already won the league title, they were going for the double against a side playing in the division below them.

On paper, they could expect to win but on probably the warmest day of the year they made heavy weather of it.

Goalless at half-time, they enjoyed a huge let off when the referee gave a controversial penalty to Tooting Bec only to change his mind after consulting with the assistant referee.

Although they had quite a bit of possession, the underdogs didn't create much and with that huge opportunity taken away from them, it fell to midfielder Fiona Moloney to win it for Actonians with a precise finish across the keeper deep into injury time at the end.

With the first team enjoying their highest ever league finish, the reserves winning the double for the second season running and the third team also enjoying their best finish, it's been a remarkable season for the club founded by chair Linda Fox back in the late '90s.

Now second only to Chelsea in the West London women's football rankings (ahead of QPR, Fulham and Brentford), this is a very special club who achieve so much with so little compared to their neighbours with their hugely recognisable brands.

Linda spoke to Sky News about some of the financial challenges facing the club earlier on Sunday - if you know any businesses or individuals who might want to sponsor such a great club, there are some very good opportunities available so get in touch with her.

 THE WEEK AHEAD

With many of our local non-league competitions now concluded, there's far less to watch than normal. The highlights of the next few days include games in the Premier League and Women's Super League and it's also Non-League Finals Day at Wembley.

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.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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

Tuesday fixtures - green pin

Wednesday fixtures - turquoise 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 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 16 May

MCFL Premier Division

PFC Victoria London v Stonewall FC @8pm - with all the promotion and relegation issues already decided, this midtable game doesn't have a huge amount riding on it. It is, however, being played in the shadow of West Ham United's ground and features a club for Polish ex-pats against the capital's leading LGBT side. Just to clarify, this is a PFC home game but the venue has been switched. The two last played at the same venue on Saturday with Stonewall winning 6-3

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Wednesday 17 May

Women's Super League

West Ham United v Chelsea @815pm - the Blues beat a determined Manchester United side 1-0 in the FA Cup Final at Wembley on Sunday to win the competition for the third year running. They're now looking to pip them to the WSL crown too and will go top if they win this game in hand. The Hammers are in terrible form and should be beaten. Tickets

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Friday 19 May

The Robert Rowan Invitational

Brentford v Manchester City @730pm - get your weekend underway with this eye-catching U21 game at the Bees' GTech Stadium. The game is being played in memory of former technical director Robert Rowan who died at the age of 28 from a cardiac condition. All proceeds will go to a local heart-health charity. Adult tickets are just £3

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Saturday 20 May

Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur v Brentford @1230pm - Spurs' loss to Aston Villa on Saturday means they're now seventh with two games to go. The Champions League is effectively beyond them and a Europa League place is looking decidedly dodgy too. If they lose this, they could even be overtaken by the Bees by the end of the season which would be pretty bonkers. Tickets are only available to members. If you do manage to get one, then it will be valid for the WSL game against Reading which follows at 415pm

Fulham v Crystal Palace @3pm - both sides notched comfortable victories on Saturday as their stress-free cruise towards the end of the season continued. The Cottagers moved eight points clear of Chelsea to pretty much secure a top-half finish. As for Palace, they're now in a fight with the Blues to see who comes 11th but that's about as good as it's going to get. Tickets are only available to those with a previous booking history

Women's Super League

Tottenham Hotspur v Reading @415pm - as mentioned above, this match is being played as the second part of a doubleheader with the men's team at the THS, which I think is a first. A draw for Spurs against the bottom club will be enough to see them avoid relegation. If you can't get a ticket for the men's game then you can buy one just for this 

A bit further afield

FAWNL Play-Off Final

Nottingham Forest v Watford @1pm - there's a hugely important game in the women's third tier on Saturday in Milton Keynes. Promotion throughout the women's pyramid is notoriously difficult with only one team usually going up. It's even harder at this level where the winners of the two regional divisions have to play-off for one place in the second tier although I believe this is the last season it's happening. Both sides won their respective divisions on goal difference to further highlight the incredibly tight margins that decide whether or not you progress at this level. Tickets

Friendly

International Surrey Football v Matabeleland @3pm - switching back to the men's game, there's an unusual friendly at Dorking Wanderers where the ISF team take on an African side who I last saw play during the Conifa World Football Cup here in London in 2018. Tickets are £5

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Sunday 21 May

Premier League

West Ham United v Leeds United @130pm - the Hammers' defeat at Brentford means they can technically still be caught by the visitors who are currently one point adrift of safety. With Sam Allardyce now in charge, the Yorkshire giants have a chance and did well to fight back for a point against Newcastle on Saturday. It could be a tense afternoon. Some tickets may become available via the club's ticket exchange

Non-League Finals Day

One of my favourite days of the year sees the FA Vase and FA Trophy finals played back-to-back at Wembley with both included on the same ticket for £25

FA Vase Final

Ascot United v Newport Pagnell Town @1215pm - intended primarily for clubs in the ninth and tenth tiers, this year's Vase final sees the champions of the Combined Counties League Premier North take on last year's winners who finished third in the parallel ninth-tier United Counties League Premier South. For me, Ascot will start as favourites but NPT know what it takes to win and are the first team to make consecutive finals since Whitley Bay won it three times between 2009-11.

FA Trophy Final

FC Halifax Town v Gateshead @415pm - this competition is for clubs in the fifth to eighth tiers. On this occasion, we have two fifth-tier clubs who finished two points apart in midtable. Frequently the Trophy ends up being contested by clubs who have either just missed out on promotion or have already been relegated and it's all a bit flat but that's definitely not the case here. I actually got to see Halifax when they played Harrow Borough back in January, scraping past the Southern League strugglers on penalties. Since then, they've beaten Maidenhead United, Aldershot Town and Altrincham on their way to Wembley. The Shaymen last won the Trophy in 2016 which was also the first Non-League Finals Day. Gateshead have never made the final and picked up the notable scalps of Oldham Athletic and Barnet on their way to the national stadium. Halifax finished above Gateshead this season and took four points off them in the league, which makes them my favourites

Women's Super League

Chelsea v Arsenal @1230pm - if both sides win their midweek games, which they should, then this will be an absolutely huge game. In that scenario, the Blues will start the game two points clear at the top with two games to go, the Gunners will be five points behind and Manchester United sandwiched in between. Effectively, if Chelsea win and the Red Devils drop any points against rivals Manchester City in the day's other game, then Emma Hayes' side will be champions with a game to go. Tickets have sold out

LSE Women's Regional League

Millwall Lionesses v Worthing @3pm - if the visitors win their midweek game then they'll be just a point behind leaders Ebbsfleet United with two games to go, one more than the top club. In other words, if they win here and Ebbsfleet drop points against Saltdean in their final game the same afternoon, then the title will be theirs

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 Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here 

TLFG: 9-14 May 2023

Hi, I hope you're well. Welcome to one of the last editions of TLFG for this season as all the leagues and cups start to really wind down.

Although there's not a lot on this week, what is happening is pretty big with a number of cup finals and league title/relegation deciders taking place.

One Wembley final has tickets available so if you've never been to the national stadium, this could be your chance - details are in the Daily Digest below.

Other than a youth tournament that my daughter's taking part in on Saturday, I'm not sure what I'll get to see this week as I stupidly booked myself into the Bristol Half Marathon on Sunday morning without checking my football dates!

Tickets are available for Saturday's game

With a lot of the senior football now completed, there's an extra focus this week on youth football and there are one or two extra games which could be of interest which I've included below.

So that's about it from me. Thankfully I've actually managed to get this published on time and thanks to all of you over the last week who have sent me updates or pointed out corrections where I'd got things wrong - much appreciated.

Lastly, many congratulations to Rayners Lane who won their CCL Division 1 Play-Off Final on Monday to finally make it out of the 10th tier - it seems they've been there or thereabouts for years so it's great to finally see them go up.

 

THE WEEK AHEAD

With many of our local non-league competitions now concluded, there's far less to watch than normal. The highlights of the next few days include games in the Premier League, National League, Women's Super League and a few 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.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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

Tuesday fixtures - green pin

Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin

Thursday fixtures - purple pin

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin

Sunday fixtures - orange pin

    

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section, I list 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 9 May

Premier League Cup Final

Brentford v Blackburn Rovers @745pm - the GTech Stadium plays host to this U21 cup final on Tuesday. These sides both started off in Group D together and have made it all the way to the last two. In the group stage, the Bees won 3-2 at Blackburn while Rovers won the reverse fixture 2-1 so it should be close. Tickets are available and cost just £3

Professional Development League

Elsewhere in London there are three other U21 games at lunchtime which are all being played at clubs' main stadiums. Charlton play Hull at The Valley, QPR take on Wigan at Loftus Road and Watford entertain Burnley at Vicarage Road

Isthmian Youth League Final

Cray Valley PM v Worthing @745pm - the winners of the east division take on the champions of the south division in this U18 final at Bedfont Sports

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Wednesday 10 May

Women's Super League

Chelsea v Leicester City @7pm - the Blues demolished Everton 7-0 on Sunday to close in on leaders Manchester United. The Foxes are still fighting hard to avoid relegation and only lost 1-0 to Arsenal on Friday so they can't be totally written off going into this one

Isthmian Development League Final

Brentwood Town v Hastings United @730pm - the champions of the north and south divisions of the Isthmian Development League do battle at Aveley for this U23 trophy

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Thursday 11 May

UEFA Europa Conference League Semi-Final

West Ham United v AZ Alkmaar @8pm - after beating Manchester United on Sunday, the Hammers have put themselves in a strong position to avoid relegation from the Premier League. If they stay up and then win a European trophy, it'll probably go down as a pretty successful season. Dutch side AZ look like tricky opponents though - currently fourth in the Dutch league, they drew 0-0 with Ajax in Amsterdam on Saturday and knocked out Anderlecht and Lazio in previous rounds of this competition. Tickets have sold out

Surrey Premier Cup Semi-Final

FC Deportivo Galicia v Nottsborough @745pm - the hosts, who play at a higher level, will start as favourites here. The winners will play Godalming Town in the final

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Saturday 13 May

Premier League

Chelsea v Nottingham Forest @3pm - the Blues scored a convincing victory at Bournemouth on Saturday to make absolutely sure of their place in the Premier League next season. On Saturday, Forest will be looking to take a large stride towards achieving the same thing. A hugely important win over Southampton on Monday took them out of the bottom three and a win here could leave them six points clear with two games to go. Tickets are available to members and their guests

Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth @3pm - despite losing to Spurs on Saturday, Palace are safe from relegation for another season. The Cherries are just a point behind them and will definitely avoid the drop with at least a draw here although they could still lose and stay up depending on other results. Tickets have sold out

National League Play-Off Final

Chesterfield v Notts County @330pm - they made it very hard for themselves but the teams who finished just behind champions Wrexham both scraped through to Wembley after winning their semi-finals 3-2. The organisers will probably be pretty chuffed about it too as these sides should generate a big crowd and create a great spectacle. Notts County beat the Spireites 2-1 when they last played in February and also came out on top when they met in the play-offs two years ago. Tickets are available

Anagram Records Trophy Final

Belstone v Old Bradwell United @3pm - aka the Capital Counties Feeder League Trophy, this knockout competition is for clubs, primarily in the 11th tier, who don't qualify to compete in the FA Vase. The final is taking place at Uxbridge FC. If you want to make a day of it, the same venue is hosting the MCFL Division 1 Cup Final between Ickenham and Hayes & Hillingdon at 745pm

SPCFL Premier Division

Staines & Lammas (Middlesex) v Wimbledon Casuals @3pm - in the 11th tier, there's a title decider being played at Abbey Rangers' ground in the Addlestone/Chertsey area. Currently level on points with leaders AFC Cubo, who have completed their fixtures, Wimbledon Casuals just a need a draw to win the title

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Sunday 14 May

Premier League

Brentford v West Ham United @2pm - the Bees narrowly lost to Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday but with 50 points they remain in the top half. As mentioned above, the Hammers recorded a hugely important 1-0 victory over Manchester United on Sunday which means that a win here will see them avoid the drop. Tickets are not available

Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion @430pm - the Gunners kept their title hopes alive by notching an impressive away win at Newcastle over the weekend. One point behind leaders Manchester City but having played a game more, they're still very much the underdogs but they have a chance. Brighton's hopes of a top-six finish were dealt a blow by relegation-threatened Everton who went to the Amex and stunned everyone by winning 5-1 on Monday. Still with two games in hand on sixth-placed Spurs, the Seagulls could and should finish among the country's elite group of teams. Tickets are not available

Women's FA Cup Final

Chelsea v Manchester United @230pm - I've been to every final since 2018 but stupidly booked a place in the Bristol Half Marathon, on Sunday morning, without checking my dates and ruled myself out of being able to go this. Thankfully I won't be missed because for the first time ever, the final has sold out and Wembley should be rocking. It's also the first time the Red Devils have made it to the final and with them currently top of the WSL and Chelsea second, it should be an absolutely cracking game. The Blues are also the reigning champions and have won three of the last five finals, so I really hope United prevail just to see someone different win

LSE Women's Regional League Premier Division

Millwall Lionesses v Dulwich Hamlet @630pm - originally scheduled to be played at a different ground at lunchtime, this local derby has been moved to The Den at short notice to see that both sides end their seasons on a high. To top it all, it's been made free entry and given the late kick-off, you can now see three games on Sunday. Great stuff!

LSE Women's League Division 1 North

AFC Whyteleafe v Brentford @330pm - with the season reaching its climax it's now a two-horse race for the title between the Bees and Dorking Wanderers. The Surrey club have a game in hand against bottom club Leatherhead on Tuesday. If they win, they will go top by one point and then both sides will have two games to go. Both sides are playing very similar midtable teams on Sunday but if the Bees lose here and Dorking win at Watford Development, then the title race will be over with a game to spare

GLWFL Cup Finals Day

If you're on the west side of town and fancy gorging on a double bill of women's cup final football then head to Bedfont Sports, a short walk from Hatton Cross Tube station. For £3 you'll get to see the dramatically named Impact take on AFC Wimbledon Development in the Sue Sharples Memorial Trophy at 1115am before Actonians Reserves look to complete a league and cup double by beating Tooting Bec in the John Greenacre Memorial Trophy at 230pm

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 Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here 

TLFG: 2-8 May 2023

Greetings and welcome to this week's TLFG.

Again, it's another Bank Holiday Special but this time there's much less to choose from as many of our local leagues have now concluded for the season.

My week saw me take in two games.

Firstly I made my first trip to Loftus Road since October to watch QPR's B team take on Hull City in a lunchtime game.

It was close enough in the first half with good chances at either end but the second half saw the visitors up their game and they duly and deservedly won 3-1.

There was a comedy moment after the interval when a foul on giant R's striker Hamzad Kargbo saw a Benny Hill-esque chase ensue as he pursued the aggressor around the pitch!

Also on my way home, it was pleasing to meet Jay, a young TLFG reader and scout for Motherwell who gave me all kinds of insight into that side of the football business.

My second match saw me travel up to the Abbey Stadium on Sunday to see Actonians' final game of the season against Cambridge United.

Actonians celebrate the most successful season in their history

Needing to better Norwich City's result to finish third, they did just that, sweeping the Ambers aside with a very accomplished performance that saw them win 4-0.

With the Canaries losing to AFC Wimbledon, the A's secured the highest finish in their history - a huge achievement given they don't have their own ground, limited finances and a tiny fanbase.

The likes of Brentford, Fulham, Leyton Orient, Millwall and QPR all trailed in their wake.

I took my daughters to the game - their first away from home .

My eldest was lucky enough to join the players on the pitch for their celebratory team photo - a great moment.

My first full season as a committed supporter of a women's football team has been a fairly profound one.

Just over a year ago, I went to Loftus Road to collect a Supporter of the Year Award at QPR.

The rest of the afternoon saw me witness loads of unsavoury behaviour in the stands and some awful football on the pitch.

My then nine-year-old daughter found it an upsetting experience and I just thought that with all the negativity, I didn't need to rush back and pay £35 for the privilege during a cost of living crisis.

So as I approach the end of my 40th season as an R's fan, I've found myself not attending a single first-team game. 

I'm not proud of that but I'm also not even remotely disappointed, something I'm finding hard to explain given my previous passion for the club.

Don't get me wrong, they're still my team but the emotions don't run so deep any more.

However, my interest and enthusiasm in football has been well and truly rekindled over the last few months.

With the superb Women's Euros acting as a catalyst and my daughter already playing junior football for the club, I decided to really make an effort to watch the senior teams at Actonians in 2022/23.

I knew supporting the club was going to be a positive experience when I made the arduous journey to watch the team play eventual champions Hashtag United at Aveley's ground in early September.

Despite losing to an excellent side, they fought hard and then the whole team came over to the small group of travelling supporters to shake our hands and thank us for making the effort.

In all my time, even watching men's non-league football, I'd never personally experienced that.

As the games went by, it kept happening and the bond was strengthened.

The club themselves started to use my amateur match photos, taken on my phone, on their website, social media and even the match programmes.

I've chatted tactics and got real insight from players and have offered encouragement and support to them or the management staff in person or via social media.

Opportunities to volunteer on the some of the club's community projects have been rewarding as have watching the reserves and third teams when I've had the chance.

All in all I've felt valued in a way I never had done before at a football club and I've loved that.

I look forward to the weekends with real excitement again, in a way that had left me.

So thanks to all at Actonians - players, staff, board members and fellow fans (particularly Neil H) and bring on 2023/24.

I can't wait!

THE WEEK AHEAD

With many of our local non-league competitions now concluded, there's far less to watch than normal. The highlights of the next few days include games in the Premier League, National League, Women's Super League and a few 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.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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

Tuesday fixtures - green pin

Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin

Thursday fixtures - purple pin

Friday fixtures - black pin

BANK HOLIDAY MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin

Sunday fixtures - orange pin

Monday fixtures - yellow pin

    

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section, I list 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 2 May

Premier League

Arsenal v Chelsea @8pm - after getting mauled by Manchester City at the Etihad in midweek, the Gunners' title hopes appear to be in tatters. With Pep Guardiola's side also beating Fulham on Sunday to top the league for the first time in months, only a miracle will see the north London club come away with the silverware now. In a normal season, a match against the Blues would be tough but they're in such poor form that they're still mathematically within reach of the bottom three. If Arsenal do fail to win, they might as well give up. Tickets are not available to non-members

National League Play-Off Eliminator

Barnet v Boreham Wood @745pm - elsewhere in north London, the NL play-offs get underway with this big derby between the sides who finished fifth and sixth. The Bees edged the two regular season league games between them winning 2-1 at home and drawing 1-1 away. In the play-offs there's only one leg so the stakes are high. The winners face a daunting trip to Notts County in semi-finals. Other non-league play-off games have been drawing some massive crowds over the last week so you're strongly advised to buy your tickets in advance

London Senior Cup Final

Charlton Athletic U21 v Haringey Borough @745pm - it's all going on on the north side of town on Tuesday with this big county cup final also taking place at Hendon's ground. The Addicks have never won this competition whilst Haringey's only victory came way back in 1991 when they beat Walthamstow Pennant 1-0 in the final. Tickets will be available on the gate for around £10

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Wednesday 3 May

Women's Super League

Chelsea v Liverpool @745pm - after suffering the disappointment of their narrow defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League, the Blues need to focus on regaining their WSL title. Manchester United have moved seven points clear of Emma Hayes' side at the top but the Londoners have three games in hand which need to be won. The first is against a midtable Reds side who appear to already be 'on the beach' after being thrashed 4-0 by then bottom club Leicester City on Saturday

Premier League International Cup Semi-Final

Crystal Palace v Valencia @7pm - the semi-final of this U21 competition is taking place at Selhurst Park on Wednesday. This young Eagles side have beaten Hertha Berlin, PSG, Braga and Liverpool on the way to the last four and should fancy their chances against their Spanish opponents. PSV await the winners. Tickets are £5

Middlesex Charity Cup Final

Northwood v Broadfields United @745pm - there's another decent bit of county cup silverware up for grabs on Wednesday. After missing out in the Isthmian League play-offs, Northwood will want to end their otherwise decent season on a high whilst underdogs Broadfields, who play a level below their opponents, have done brilliantly to get this far. The match is being played at Uxbridge

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Thursday 4 May

CCL Women's Cup

London Seaward v Ebbsfleet United @8pm - it's been a bit of a running joke that this competition is probably the most secretive in the country. The draw is rarely, if ever publicised, often the teams taking part aren't sure where or when they're playing and certainly have no idea about what anyone else is up to. Some are under the impression it's for development teams whilst others have fielded their first teams. Heck, I think this is a semi-final but I'm not even sure as neither club have posted anything  about it on their websites or social media - yet...

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Friday 5 May

Women's Super League

Arsenal v Leicester City @730pm - like Chelsea, the Gunners suffered Champions League semi-final disappointment after their extra-time loss to Wolfsburg at the Emirates. A bit like the men, their title hopes are beginning to diminish and they'll be effectively over if they lose to their struggling opponents

Friendly

Brentford v Newcastle United @6pm - if you could benefit from an earlier kick-off then this U21 match at Hanwell Town could well be for you. A decent crowd should be expected in part because of Hanwell's strong links to both teams which is presumably why they've been chosen to host it

Premier League 2

Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion @7pm - just a point apart in the PL2's top six, this U21 encounter at Motspur Park should be well worth a watch too

Essex Senior League Cup Final

Barking v Redbridge @745pm - if you're on the east side of town and want to see a game with a bit more meaning, head to Aveley's Parkside home which will be playing host to the ESL Cup Final aka the Errington Challenge Cup. Having finished second and then won promotion via the play-offs, Redbridge will start as favourites

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Saturday 6 May

Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace @3pm - now four games without a win, Spurs' Champions League aspirations are all but over. On Saturday they welcome the Eagles who reached 40 points on Saturday after a thrilling 4-3 win over West Ham as Roy Hodgson presided over another valuable win following his recent return to the club. The form guide suggests an away win. Tickets are only available to members

Premier League 2

Arsenal v Manchester City @1pm - with no other football taking place in the top 10 tiers, your next best option is this U21 game at Boreham Wood's ground. City are running  away with the PL2 too so will start as strong favourites. These matches are normally free entry

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Sunday 7 May

Premier League

West Ham United v Manchester United @7pm - only four points above the relegation zone with five games to go, the Hammers face an incredibly tough week with a Wednesday night trip to Manchester City followed by this home game against United. If they come out of it with nothing, few will bat an eyelid. Despite all this, David Moyes' side have shown some positive signs in recent weeks and could get something on home territory as the showed against Arsenal recently. Tickets are available

National League South Play-Off Semi-Final

Dartford v St Albans City @1230pm - the Darts finished second to local rivals Ebbsfleet United and will hope to join them in the fifth tier next season. To do that they'll need to beat the Saints who made it through the midweek eliminator at Chelmsford City with an extra-time win. The last time they met at Princes Park was for a league game only two weeks ago and Dartford won 2-1. A large crowd is expected so you're advised to buy your tickets in advance

Premier League 2

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United @12pm - there's also an U21 game at Spurs' training ground. It's a derby and a limited amount of free tickets are available - call 0344 844 0102 and choose Option 2 to book them

Women's Super League

Chelsea v Everton @645pm - if the Blues win here and, in the unlikely event, other results go their way, they could end the day just one point behind the leaders. Everton are the kind of midtable side they should beat fairly comfortably but the Merseyside club have only lost one of their last five and are looking to pip Aston Villa to fifth

ERWFL Premier

Haringey Borough v AFC Sudbury @2pm - with no more second, third or fourth tier women's football left to be played in London this season, the focus will next focus on the promotion battles in the fifth tier. The hosts' title bid has now ended but securing a place in the top three or four is still on. The visitors are five points clear at the top but with teams below them having games in hand, the title race isn't quite over. In most women's divisions, only one team go up so they'll want to win to keep themselves in the driving seat

LSE Women's League D1 North

Clapton CFC v Dorking Wanderers @2pm - by the time this kicks off, Dorking will probably have won one of their games in hand and moved up to second. As a result, CCFC will have slipped to fourth. As I understand it, the visitors have a bit of budget behind them thanks to the efforts of celebrity chairman Callum Best and they'll probably ultimately edge out Brentford for the title and the one promotion spot. The hosts could put a serious dent in their hopes if they do win in front of what should be a sizeable crowd at the Old Spotted Dog, London's oldest ground 

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Monday 8 May

Premier League

Fulham v Leicester City @3pm - after appearing to have conquered their predisposition to yo-yo between the Premier League and Championship, finishing in the top half will surely be the Cottagers' very realistic goal at this point. They face a tough trip to Anfield in midweek before returning home to face a relegation-threatened Foxes side who are being kept out of the bottom three by goal difference. Tickets are available

Championship

Millwall v Blackburn Rovers @3pm - the Championship season concludes on Monday and there are still two play-off places up for grabs and five clubs vying for them. Two of them meet at The Den where the atmosphere should be amazing. The Lions have never played in the Premier League and a win here will secure a play-off semi-final against either Luton Town or Middlesbrough. Unsurprisingly it's sold out

QPR v Bristol City @3pm - the other two games have absolutely nothing riding on them at all thanks to the R's winning their last two games at Burnley and Stoke to secure survival in the division for another season. The ground should be close to full though as the Robins usually always bring a fair few to Loftus Road. It will also certainly be the last time veteran winger Albert Adomah plays for the hosts and he might even retire. A QPR fan himself, he's always been popular with the fans and he's also a Bristol City legend too so he should get a great send off. Games like this often end up being really entertaining as the shackles come off and the goals often fly in at both ends. Tickets

Watford v Stoke City @3pm - among the promotion contenders at the start of the season, the Hornets need to win this to have any chance of finishing in the top half. The churn of managers which often yields positive results at Vicarage Road, hasn't worked this time and latest boss Chris Wilder will be lucky to survive much beyond the final whistle of this one. The Potters have been even more underwhelming and can finish only as high as fifteenth if they win and Bristol City lose. Tickets

League Two

Sutton United v Carlisle United @1230pm - the League Two season also concludes on Monday. The U's have nothing to play for and are ending the season on a very poor run of form which is disappointing but they're safely in midtable. Carlisle, however, need a win to make sure of a play-off place so they've got plenty to for. Tickets

CCL Division 1 Play-Off Final

Rayners Lane v Langley @3pm - finishing fourth and fifth in the regular season, these two have caused a bit of an upset by beating London Samurai Rovers and Berks County to get this far. A place in the ninth tier will go to the victors

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 Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here 

TLFG: 24 April - 1 May 2023

Welcome to a bank holiday special of TLFG.

Apologies again for another late publication but once again I was spending too much time enjoying myself watching Actonians on Sunday to get round to writing this.

In fact it's been a very satisfactory few days for my clubs with QPR pulling off arguably the biggest shock of the weekend by inflicting Burnley's first home defeat of the season.

Vincent Kompany's side have already won promotion and had looked certain to wrap-up the title against a poor R's side who'd only won twice since December.

Maria Ledezma-Viso (left) crashed in her sixth of the season for Actonians

However, it wasn't to be and despite recording only 19% possession, Gareth Ainsworth's side played to their strengths and won 2-1.

They're now four points clear of the relegation zone with two games to go - the hope is back but that's what kills you right?

Harrow Borough came from behind to beat Yate Town 3-1 in their final match of the season but the result was tinged with disappointment as relegation had already been confirmed.

Steve Baker also became Boro's longest serving manager that afternoon, having joined in 2015, and he had already announced it would be his last game - a sad way to depart. 

It was even more gutting to see they finished only a point adrift of safety with old rivals Hendon just edging them out but good luck to them - they're rivals not enemies.

As for Actonians, they've been my sole source of positivity this season.

Coming into their final two games, they still had the chance to finish third.

On Sunday they faced Ashford Town, a side who sat just below them in the table and one they'd beaten twice previously earlier in the season in the league and cup.

Possessed of some good forwards, Danny Harrigan's side knew they'd have to be wary against the Tangerines.

Some of that talent was on show from the off as the visitors fired in a fine early goal.

The A's equalised soon after through Italian goal machine Alessandra Barreca and this was followed soon after by a thunderbolt from winger Maria Ledezma-Viso which slammed in off the bar.

Tickets are available for West Ham v Liverpool on Wednesday

Seemingly in control, Actonians found themselves pegged backed to 2-2 when Ashley Cheatley coolly fired across Amy Butler into the top-right corner.

The talented striker barely celebrated as she was mobbed by her team-mates.

Sadly for the visitors, they found themselves 3-2 down at the interval after another Barreca effort beat the keeper from range.

After such an entertaining first half, it looked like we could have one of the crazy end-of-season games where any score becomes possible.

Thankfully for the hosts and their fans, it never came close to happening as Actonians accelerated away after the interval and won 6-2 with further goals from Jasmine Williamson, Natsumi Kanno and a third from Barreca who completed her hat-trick with a free-kick into the top-left corner which the keeper couldn't quite keep out.

It was a huge moment for Barreca who only returned from an ACL injury at the end of January and now has six goals from just 10 appearances since then.

Actonians travel to the Abbey Stadium on Sunday to play Cambridge United in their final game.

To finish third, they will need to better Norwich City's result at AFC Wimbledon.

Whatever happens, my first full season as dedicated follower of a women's team has been a real pleasure.

 THE WEEK AHEAD

With many of our local non-league competitions now concluded, there's far less to watch than normal. The highlights of the next few days include games in the Premier League, EFL, National League, Women's Champions League and a few 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.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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

BANK HOLIDAY MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin

Sunday fixtures - orange pin

Monday fixtures - yellow pin

    

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section, I list 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 24 April

Professional Development League

There are a couple of decent U21 options on Monday afternoon as both Watford  and Charlton Athletic have games at their main stadiums. The match at Vicarage Road starts at 1pm and the one at The Valley at 2pm

Essex Senior League

Athletic Newham v Romford @745pm - the season should have finished by now but because of lots of postponements earlier in the season, there are still one or two games that need to be completed. With all the promotion and relegation issues settled in the ESL, this match is just about determining finishing positions. A win for the hosts will see them end up in fifth which I'm pretty sure would be a club best

CCL Premier South

Balham v Colliers Wood United @745pm - the CCL suffered more than most when it came to postponements and as a result, still quite a few games need to be played. However, in this division, the promotion issues have been decided. Sadly, neither of these teams will be going up but a top five finish is possible for the visitors. This is also a derby from the southern end of the Northern Line

CCL Division 1

Spartans Youth v Molesey @745pm - the hosts moved up to this level for the first time this season and are just about keeping their heads above water. Their HQ is located just metres away from Brentford's stadium on the other side of the M4 but they've been playing all their games several miles away at Northwood which has presumably made it hard to build a fanbase. Currently seven points above the relegation zone with five games to go, they could do with one more win to make sure

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Tuesday 25 April

FA Youth Cup Final

Arsenal v West Ham United @7pm - the final of the country's most prestigious U18 cup competition takes place at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners may well need home advantage to win here as the Hammers' youngsters are well clear at the top of South section of the U18 league whereas Arsenal are 10th out of 12. Tickets are £5

Professional Development League

As on Monday, there are a couple more U21 games being played at clubs' main stadiums. QPR play at Loftus Road at 1pm and Millwall, who are top of the South section, kick-off at The Den at 2pm

National League

Boreham Wood v Gateshead @745pm - after losing the big game at Wrexham on Saturday, which gave the Welsh club the title, The Wood know a draw here will secure their play-off place with a game to spare. The Heed have already done enough to avoid relegation so don't have a huge amount to play for but I'm sure they'll want to put on a show for the fans who do make the long midweek journey from the north east

National League South

Dulwich Hamlet v Concord Rangers @745pm - there's a huge game at the wrong end of the NLS table on Tuesday where a win for the Hamlet will secure their place in the division for another season. Concord have been in the bottom four for a long time, partly as a result of lots of postponements. In the last few weeks they've been working their way through those games, ominously winning four out of their last five games as they've motored towards safety. However, if they lose here it will all be over, they'll go down and will take Cheshunt with them. Most games at Champion Hill sell out so you are strongly advised to buy tickets in advance if you want to go

CCL Premier North

Harefield United v Chalfont St Peter @730pm - this game is all about what happens to the visitors. In order to stay up, CSP have to match or better whatever Windsor achieve in their match against Virginia Water the same night

CCL Division 1

London Samurai Rovers v Cove @745pm - in theory LSR could still win the title and also completely miss out on the play-offs, although making the latter is the most realistic outcome. A win here will go a long way to securing their place in the 'post-season' but it still won't be guaranteed even at this late stage

Spartans Youth v Brook House @745pm - if Spartans win on Monday, then another win here against relegation rivals will keep them up and send the visitors down

Westside v RB Kensington @730pm - the hosts have a very slim chance of sneaking into the play-offs and as a result can't afford to lose

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Wednesday 26 April

Premier League

Chelsea v Brentford @745pm - last April the Bees went to Stamford Bridge and stunned everyone by beating the then European champions 4-1. A year on and it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see them win again. Currently five points ahead of them in the league, they'll be disappointed not to get anything here although their form is probably the worst it's been all season. Tickets have sold out

West Ham United v Liverpool @745pm - the pressure was really on David Moyes after his Hammers side capitulated against Newcastle three weeks ago but since then they haven't lost a game. Through to the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League and now six points clear of the relegation zone after winning 4-0 at Bournemouth on Sunday, things are looking pretty rosy. However, with seven league games to play, a lot could still happen. The Reds also badly need to win to stay in the hunt for a place in Europe. The last three games between them have been close with only one goal winning margins. Tickets are available

Isthmian League Premier Division Play-Off Semi-Final

Hornchurch v Cray Wanderers @745pm - with the SCEFL getting the play-off season underway last week, things get into full swing this week. Most non-league play-off games only have one leg so the stakes are high. The Urchins have been in the title race for weeks so the fact they made it to the play-offs wasn't a huge surprise. For Cray, London's oldest club, it was in doubt until the final day when a draw at Haringey in front of over 800 fans was enough to see them pip Lewes to the last place on goal difference. Hornchurch have played in the NLS before but Cray never have - is this their moment?

Isthmian League South Central Play-Off Semi-Final

Walton & Hersham v Northwood @745pm - the Swans were neck-and-neck with Basingstoke Town until the final day when they only managed a draw at Thatcham and their rivals won. With only one team going up automatically, W&H will now go into the play-offs. They've ended up with a home game against Northwood who were leaders until Christmas. They also recorded an impressive 3-1 win over Marlow, who also made the play-offs, on the final day. The hosts have been getting crowds of over 1,500 recently so you'd expect something similar here

London Senior Cup Semi-Final

Charlton Athletic U21 v Hendon @7pm - being played at Dartford's stadium, a young Addicks side will take on the Greens who are celebrating avoiding the drop from the Southern League Premier South. The north-west London club are one of the most successful clubs in the competition's history, winning it six times. They last won it in 2020 and were runners-up last season. Charlton have never been to the final. The winners will play Haringey Borough

Essex Senior League Cup Semi-Final

Woodford Town v Redbridge @745pm - two of the top three meet for this mouthwatering semi-final at Ashton's. The winners will play Athletic Newham or Barking in the final

Middlesex Intermediate Cup Final

Bush Hill Rangers v Staines & Lammas (Middlesex) @745pm - two of the best sides in the 11th tier meet at North Greenford United for a decent chunk of county silverware. Currently top of the Herts Senior County League, BHR might start as marginal favourites but it's hard to say as S&L are still firmly in the hunt for the Surrey Premier crown too

Capital Women's Cup Final

AFC Wimbledon v Arsenal Academy @745pm - the Dons have had a decent season but it's ultimately going to see them pipped to the FAWNL Division 1 South East title by Hashtag United, a side they've taken four points off during the campaign. Winning this would be a nice consolation but it's going to be tough as Arsenal's youngsters have already beaten Sutton United, QPR and London Bees by convincing margins to get here. The match is being played at CB Hounslow United

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Thursday 27 April

Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United @815pm - after being thrashed 6-1 by Newcastle on Sunday, Spurs were left six points behind fourth placed Manchester United who have two games in hand. If they are to have any chance of making next season's Champions League they simply must win this. The visitors have won their last three league games and made it to the FA Cup Final after scraping past Brighton on penalties on Sunday. Tickets are only available to members

Premier League Cup Semi-Final

Fulham v Brentford @7pm - if you can't get a ticket for the above, then head to the Cottagers' training ground in Motspur Park for this derby. Blackburn Rovers await the winners in the final. Tickets are available on the gate

FAWNL Southern Premier

Watford v Oxford United @745pm - as we move into the last week of the season three teams can still win the title and these are two of them. Oxford are currently the favourites as they're top with a game in hand on the Hornets and Ipswich Town in third. The hosts have to avoid defeat at all costs or their season will end. Given the magnitude of the game, it's being played at Vicarage Road

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Friday 28 April

Premier League 2

There are a couple of U21 matches on Friday night as Chelsea welcome Brighton to Kingsmeadow and West Ham United entertain Leicester City at Rush Green. Tickets are £5 and usually available on arrival

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Saturday 29 April

Premier League

Crystal Palace v West Ham United @1230pm - the Eagles travel to Wolves in midweek where a draw will see them reach the mythical 38-point mark which traditionally proves to be enough to see clubs avoid relegation. If the Hammers beat Liverpool then they'll just need just a point here to get to 38 too. Either way, both these clubs now look pretty likely to avoid the drop. Tickets are only available to members

Brentford v Nottingham Forest @3pm - with the Bees' European hopes all but over, they've got little to play for other than position. Forest, on the other hand, need every point they can get to stay up. Brentford are unbeaten in three against the Midlands club and drew 2-2 at the City Ground earlier in the season. Tickets are only available to members 

League One

Charlton Athletic v Port Vale @3pm - the Addicks suffered a disappointing home defeat to Morecambe on Saturday to give the Lancashire club hope of staying up. Vale picked up a valuable 2-0 win over Bristol Rovers which all but ensures their place in League One next season but at least a draw here would make it absolutely certain. Tickets

League Two

Leyton Orient v Stockport County @3pm - the O's finally wrapped up the League Two title by beating Crewe on Saturday and presumably we'll see the trophy presented to Richie Wellens and his team at this game. The drama isn't over though as the visitors are still fighting hard with Carlisle, Northampton and Stevenage for two of the remaining automatic promotion places.Tickets have sold out

AFC Wimbledon v Tranmere Rovers @3pm - the Dons gave a pretty disgraceful performance while losing 5-1 at home to Swindon on Saturday. Luckily for them, struggling Hartlepool lost too which means they'll stay up whatever happens in the last two games. Midtable Tranmere also have little to play for. Interestingly, they are one of the only teams Wimbledon have managed to beat away this season. Tickets

Women's Super League

Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton & Hove Albion @515pm - the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium plays host to this WSL tea-time relegation six-pointer. One of the great things about the women's top division this season has been an exciting title race but also a really close relegation battle too. As we approach the last four or five games, the bottom four are only separated by three points. Spurs fought back from 2-0 down to draw 3-3 with a very handy Aston Villa side on Sunday whilst Brighton lost 2-1 at Liverpool to stay in trouble. Given how tight it is, a win will be huge for either. Tickets 

National League

Barnet v Dagenham & Redbridge @3pm - if Boreham Wood win in midweek then the Bees will need to win here to make sure of finishing fifth which will give them home advantage in the first round of play-off games, which are played over one leg. The Daggers won't go up but could possibly finish in the top 10 with a win here

Boreham Wood v Yeovil Town @3pm - the significance of this game depends a lot on how the hosts do in midweek against Gateshead. A win or draw will confirm their play-off place, lose and they'll still be catchable. Former Championship club Yeovil have had a disastrous season and have already been relegated to the sixth tier

National League South

Dulwich Hamlet v Chippenham Town @3pm - if the Hamlet fail to beat Concord in midweek, they could well find themselves in the bottom four by the time this kicks-off. If that is the case, it means Concord will have had a great midweek (they have two games) and even a win might not be enough to keep the south London club up. The visitors are sitting snugly in midtable and will hopefully be metaphorically on the beach

Step 4/5 Interleague Play-Offs

Sutton Common Rovers v Crawley Down Gatwick @3pm - interleague play-offs are a fairly new thing in non-league but they're about as high stakes as they come and usually generate a lot of excitement. It's a one-off game between a team in the eighth tier (Step 4) who finished just above the relegation zone defending their place against a team who finished second in one of the divisions below. SCR actually finished the Isthmian League South Central season strongly, going unbeaten in their last four games but CDG are in even better form and will want to get back to a level they used to play at

VCD Athletic v Phoenix Sports @3pm - Oakwood plays host to a big local derby in the other play-off so this should be a real cracker. In this instance, the Vickers aren't in the best form so will do well to hold on to their place in the Isthmian South East

MCFL Premier Division Cup Final

CB Hounslow United Reserves v Indian Gymkhana @745pm - a great one for groundhoppers looking to do a double on Saturday, this cup final for clubs in this 11th-tier league is being played at Uxbridge's stadium. Indian Gymkhana will start as favourites

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Sunday 30 April

Premier League

Fulham v Manchester City @2pm - after a rather sticky run, the Cottagers have recorded back-to-back wins to put them back above west London rivals Brentford and give themselves half a chance of a top-six finish. City can't stop winning at the moment and cruised into the FA Cup Final by beating Sheffield United on Saturday. Their whole season, as far as the league is concerned, probably hinges on Wednesday's huge game against leaders Arsenal. If they win that and then this, they may well go top for the first time in months. Tickets are not available

Premier League 2

Fulham v Liverpool @12pm - if you can't get a ticket for the above, then the Cottagers' U21 side welcome their counterparts from Anfield to Motspur Park. Tickets are available on the gate

Isthmian League South Central Play-Off Final

Walton & Hersham v Hanworth Villa @3pm - the hosts missed out on the title by drawing their final game after a tight title battle with Basingstoke who they thrashed 5-1 a few weeks before. They did well to overcome that disappointment by beating Northwood in their play-off semi-final but now face a side who surged into the play-offs by winning eight of their last 10 games, including an away win at the eventual champions. This could well go to penalties and the crowd should be well into four figures

Women's Championship

Charlton Athletic v Crystal Palace @2pm - despite losing at Bristol City on Sunday, a result which saw the Robins win the title, the Addicks kept hold of fourth and they'll finish there. This is the last game of their season, it's a big derby and it's being played at The Valley. A win for Palace could see them finish fifth but they'll need Southampton to drop points against Sheffield United for that to happen

London City Lionesses v Coventry United @2pm - although in the title race for a good while, LCL had a wobbly couple of weeks that saw them drop out. Annoyingly, Birmingham City have jumped into second place and they'll want to wrestle that back off them. They've good a good chance of doing it too as the Blues have to play the champions whilst they face Coventry United who have already been relegated having won only two of their 21 games thus far

FAWNL Southern Premier

London Bees v Bridgwater United @2pm - the hosts secured their place in the third tier by beating Bridgwater 1-0 on Sunday. Just a week later and the sides are meeting again and it's the club from Somerset who are still looking for points to avoid the drop. For that to happen, they'll have to win this and hope Plymouth drop points against MK Dons 

FAWNL Division 1 South East

AFC Wimbledon v Norwich City @2pm - as we go into the final day in the fourth tier, all the promotion and relegation issues have been decided. It's now all about who finishes third and who avoids coming last. The Canaries are the current incumbents and will take third if they match or better Actonians' result at Cambridge United. However, the Dons are a great side and should give them a tough afternoon at Plough Lane where they'll want to impress a sizeable home crowd 

Hashtag United v QPR @2pm - as expected, the Tags sealed their title triumph against QPR with a 4-1 win at the Powerday Stadium on Sunday. With a budget to dwarf most sides in the division, it would of been pretty disastrous if they hadn't. They conclude their campaign with another game against the R's and will presumably be presented with the winners' trophy during the afternoon

LSE Women's Regional League Cup Final

Dartford v Worthing @12pm - Sutton United's stadium plays host to this final for teams in this league for fifth and sixth-tier clubs. With Worthing still well placed to win the league title, they will start as favourites

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Monday 1 May

UEFA Women's Champions League Semi-Final Second Leg

Arsenal v Wolfsburg @545pm - the Gunners travelled to Germany for the first leg on Sunday shorn of inspirational captain Leah Williamson as she joined the growing list of high profile ACL casualties in midweek. They found themselves 2-0 down after 24 minutes but managed to end the game with a 2-2 draw which puts them in a good position ahead of this game at the Emirates for which around 50,000 tickets have already been sold

Isthmian League Premier Division Play-Off Final

Hornchurch v Aveley @3pm - the semi-finals were desperately tight and both went to penalties. Ultimately we've ended up with a big local derby which should be produce a great Bank Holiday crowd. The Urchins have been and there and done it all before but Aveley have never been higher than the seventh tier 

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