TLFG: 1-7 September 2025

Greetings one and all and welcome to the first TLFG of the autumn!

It's certainly felt that way over the weekend with some very changeable weather which saw me soaked one minute, scorched the next and buffeted heavily by wind as well.

All of those conditions made an appearance at the game I went to on Sunday.

After beginning with incredibly tough fixtures against title contenders Norwich City and Fulham, Actonians made the trip to Bedfordshire to take on newly promoted Luton Town.

They'd enjoyed one win and one defeat but were viewed as one of those teams we could beat and certainly needed to avoid losing to.

The WSL makes its return this weekend - tickets

Sadly the game wasn't played at Kenilworth Road so all three of the travelling Actonians Ultras took a cab the seven miles north to Barton Rovers' ground at Sharpenhoe Road.

As non-league grounds go, I liked it. 

Well maintained, a decent amount of cover, a good tea bar and picturesque views of the nearby hills.

There was also a strong crosswind and a significant slope down the pitch.

Things were pretty tight in the first half with the Hatters possibly shading things, but they failed to take advantage and it ended goalless.

After the break, the game ebbed and flowed with the A's starting well but then the hosts re-asserted themselves, hit the bar and then missed another excellent chance from close range.

Then everything changed dramatically.

With Actonians winning a free-kick just inside Luton's half, captain Mara Bramwell fired the ball straight into the top corner - something she has a habit of doing.

This gave the visitors real momentum and 10 minutes later it was 4-0!

Despite finishing the game with 10 players after an injury occurred with all subs used, the West Londoners saw out the win to the delight of all associated with the team.

The tough fixtures return next week when Chelsea U21s pay a visit in the FAWNL Cup but with the league being far more important, it will be viewed as a bit of a free hit.

Sadly I'm working on Sunday so I'll be heading to the Emirates the day before to watch Arsenal's WSL opener against London City Lionesses who have been generating a lot of headlines over the summer following their promotion.

Before I go, many thanks to Nico B from Bochum, Germany for donating to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund - I really appreciate it so thanks again.

THE WEEK AHEAD

It's the first international break of the season so all of London's biggest clubs in the Premier League and Championship have the week off.

The two biggest crowds of the week will almost certainly be found in the Women's Super League where Chelsea play Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Friday and Arsenal take on London City Lionesses on Saturday.

Aside from that we have games in League Two, the EFL Trophy, FA Cup, FA Youth Cup and loads of other games featuring our local non-league sides - so there's no reason to get bored.

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 and development matches. 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

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.

Monday 1 September

ECL Division 1 South

Newbury Forest v Dunmow Town @745pm - the hosts finished second bottom in this 10th-tier division last season but were given a reprieve and stayed up. So far this season, they're making the most of the opportunity to remain at this level and have only lost one of their six games. Up in third, they've made a great start. The visitors aren't tearing up any trees yet but it's early days and they've played two games less - I still expect Forest to come out on top though. Tickets are £5 on the gate

CCL Division 1

RB Kensington v Colliers Wood United @745pm - like Newbury Forest, RBK also finished second bottom in their 10th-tier division last season but also received a reprieve. This season they've moved their home games to Northwood, a significant distance from their inner London home, and their crowds are tiny as a result. Nonetheless, they're doing okay and are locked on nine points in midtable with CWU. With their X account now inactive, they have no online presence I know of so getting info on admission prices is hard but it should be in the £5-7 bracket

FA Youth Cup Preliminary Round

The country's most prestigious U18 competition gets underway this week with ties everyday between Monday and Friday. At this stage, only non-league sides enter the draw but they should play the ties at their main stadiums. On Monday, Dulwich Hamlet will probably draw the biggest crowd for their game against Rusthall whilst there's also a decent looking derby between Hanwell Town and Hayes & Yeading United

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Tuesday 2 September

EFL Trophy

This competition is for all clubs in League One and League Two plus U21 sides from 16 Premier League and Championship clubs. The group stage gets underway for most clubs this week. Since the academy sides joined the competition in 2016, a hugely controversial move, crowds for these games have become notoriously low. AFC Wimbledon were one of the biggest opponents of the change so don't expect many for their game against Stevenage (tickets). Elsewhere, Bromley entertain Crystal Palace U21 - it's a derby so there might be a few more for this (tickets)

National League

Wealdstone v Southend United @745pm - if you want a much more meaningful game, head to Ruislip in west London where the Stones welcome the Shrimpers for this fifth-tier contest. Sam Cox's side suffered their third straight defeat on Saturday but losing 3-1 to Rochdale, who went top, is no disgrace. Sadly, that run could extend to a fourth loss as Southend are among the early frontrunners too. Unbeaten in their opening six, it looks like another tough assignment. Tickets

National League South

Hampton & Richmond Borough v Torquay United @745pm - Saturday's win over Ebbsfleet took the hosts into the top three as their great start to the season continued. On Tuesday they welcome the biggest club in the division who make the long midweek journey from Devon. The Gulls have lost two of their last three but are still in the play-off places. Tickets

Hornchurch v Dorking Wanderers @745pm - unbeaten in six, the Urchins are three points clear at the top. Here they welcome a side who were in title contention last season but who ultimately lost in the play-offs. Dorking have been a bit inconsistent so far but a win here could put them into the top six. Tickets

FA Cup First Round Replays

Dartford v Bracknell Town @745pm - the Darts found themselves 2-0 down in the 87th minute but somehow fought back for a 2-2 draw. Both playing in the seventh tier, these two should put on a good show again. Tickets

Hanwell Town v Cray Wanderers @745pm - another two seventh-tier clubs meet at Reynolds Field after they too played out a 2-2 draw in the original tie. Again, it was the visitors who needed a late equaliser to force a replay. Tickets

Wingate & Finchley v Carshalton Athletic @745pm - two Isthmian Premier sides will have to do it all again after they ground out a 0-0 draw in south London. Although a seventh-tier club, Wingate have never made it to the 'proper' rounds of the competition whereas the Robins last made it in 2019. Tickets

SCEFL Premier Division

Fisher v Sutton Athletic @745pm - the Fish made the play-offs in this ninth-tier division last season and sit a point outside the top five with games in hand coming into this. Sutton are a team that don't get that much coverage in TLFG as they sit right out on the south-eastern perimeter, in Kent, and often potter along in midtable without drawing too much attention. That's not the case now though as they're one point clear at the top. Tickets are £8 on the gate

SCEFL Division 1

AFC Greenwich Borough v SE Dons @745pm - long-time non-league watchers will remember the name Greenwich Borough but sadly they came to an end in 2020. In 2023, this new club appeared but they have no connection to the other one. Earlier this year, they took over all operations of Welling United's academy and decided to enter an adult team in this division. After five games, they're level on points with leaders SE Dons so it's fair to say it's going pretty well. This is being played at Holmesdale FC. I've never seen them publicise any info on ticket prices but expect something in the £5-7 region

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Wednesday 3 September

National League

Sutton United v Boreham Wood @745pm - the U's have made a disappointing start but almost out of nowhere they managed to pick up their first win on Saturday by beating title contenders Carlisle 2-1. That result should work wonders for Steve Morison's men as they prepare for this match. Sutton's matches against AFC Wimbledon are known as the Thameslink derby but this could be too as the Wood are located on the same train line but towards the northern part of London. Back in the division following promotion from the NLS, the Hertfordshire club have made a better start and are unbeaten in four. Tickets

Essex Senior League

SOUL Tower Hamlets v Saffron Walden Town @745pm - STH look like being a club to keep an eye on this season. Following their promotion to this level, they've begun confidently in the league but have done even better in the FA Cup. On Saturday they thrashed Ascot United 4-1, the second team from the level above that they've beaten on this run. Here they welcome second placed SWT who, like them, are unbeaten in the league so far. Tickets

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Thursday 4 September

FA Youth Cup Preliminary Round

Ties in this U18 competition are the main attraction on Thursday. There are four ties across the capital but the one which stands out most for me is the derby between Erith & Belvedere and Dartford which kicks-off at 745pm

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Friday 5 September

Women's Super League

Chelsea v Manchester City @730pm - after England's victorious performance in the Women's Euros in July, the WSL is back with this big game opening proceedings. Being played at Stamford Bridge, the Blues are going in search of their seventh consecutive WSL title. City have been runners-up three times in the last six years and should push Chelsea hard again. I think I'm right in saying that these teams currently have 11 of the Lionesses who were part of the squad which played in Switzerland so it should be a good chance to see several of them in action. Tickets

Professional Development League

If you want to see two games on Friday then there are two men's U21 games at lunchtime. QPR host Hull City at Loftus Road at 1pm (entry by donation to the club's trust) whilst Watford take on Sheffield United at Vicarage Road at 2pm (tickets)

Essex Senior League

Woodford Town v Romford @745pm - at the time of writing, Woodford are in sensational form winning all four of their league games and also making it through three rounds of the FA Cup. They face a midweek trip to White Ensign before this so that could change but they look like winners here as Romford are down in 14th. Tickets are £7

ECL Division 1 South

Lymore Gardens v FC Romania @745pm - in the 10th tier, the hosts have made a blistering start after their promotion from the Essex Alliance League. With five wins from six, they're top of the division and they also managed to knock Woodford Town (above) out of the FA Vase. FC Romania play just outside the M25 and are primarily made up of ex-pats from the south-eastern European nation. Sadly they've had funding issues in recent years and have suffered two relegations in three seasons. It hasn't begun well this time either. Tickets are £7 on the gate

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Previews for the 6-7 September too follow

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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