Hi there and welcome to the latest edition of TLFG.
How has your week been?
For the third weekend running I made it to an Actonians game and one which was much more competitive than the previous two.
Those games had both ended in wins and had generated a whopping 19 goals for and two against.
The visit of an improving Stevenage, with former Lioness Sian Lingham in charge, was expected to be somewhat tougher and so it proved.
I won't go into all the details but it was an open game with decent chances at both ends but the A's superior attacking power saw them ultimately win 3-1 to go top after London Bees could only draw 3-3 with MK Dons.
Next up, Dartford pay a visit on Sunday. Like Stevenage, they're newly promoted but struggling and another three points should be expected - but you never know.
After the game, I got to meet married couple Jim and Gina McCaffrey who are the main people putting the money into Actonians this season - both successful athletes in their youth, they, alongside daughter Steph, possess formidable sporting and business nous which will hopefully take the club to new heights.
It was also announced this week that the FAWNL Cup game between QPR and Actonians will take place at Loftus Road on 27 September. As someone who spent the first 40 years of his football-watching life utterly devoted to the R's, this will be a very strange afternoon for me.
THE WEEK AHEAD
The biggest game of the week would appear to be the Premier League derby clash on Friday night between Brentford and Chelsea. A point apart in the top six, the Bees often do well in these games and have only lost three of the 10 league games against them since joining the top flight in 2021.
I say appear, as many will probably argue the derby between Millwall and West Ham United in the Championship on Saturday is bigger or certainly more significant. This match will be the first meeting of the arch-rivals since 2012. The Hammers have also never won at this ground, their last away win being in 1988 at the old Den.
It's a busy week for West Ham who also entertain Fulham in the EFL Cup Third Round, the only tie in London over the next few days.
Down in south London, Crystal Palace begin their Europa League campaign with a home match against Polish side Lech Poznan on Thursday.
Talking of bitter rivalries, it's also AFC Wimbledon against MK Dons on Thursday night. Back-to-back wins have lifted the hosts into the top seven in League One whilst the visitors have yet to win a league game this season.
In League Two, leaders Barnet will look to maintain top spot with a win over Fleetwood Town who are also among the leading pack.
As we begin the week, Boreham Wood and Harrogate Town occupy the top two spots in the National League. Both have midweek games so this could change before they meet on Saturday.
It's also the FA Cup Second Round Qualifying this weekend when all the teams in the sixth tier enter the draw alongside the survivors from tiers seven to nine.
The Essex derby between Aveley and Brentwood Town should generate quite a bit of interest. London's oldest club Cray Wanderers host National League South leaders Maidstone United whilst the biggest crowd of the round will probably be found Champion Hill as Dulwich Hamlet take on Welling United.
Eighth tier Kingstonian welcome former landlords Leatherhead but it's Southern League leaders Uxbridge who appear to have one of the best chances of causing an upset as National League South strugglers Farnborough pay them a visit.
It's also easily possible to see two ties this weekend as Southall, who groundshare with Uxbridge, entertain Dorking Wanderers on Sunday.
Away from the cup, two of the top four in the Isthmian Premier meet on Tuesday when Enfield Town welcome Dartford to Donkey Lane.
The same night, there's also a top-four clash in the ninth tier CCL Premier North where North Greenford United host Ardley United.
At the time of writing, leaders Fleet Town travel to third place Abbey Rangers on Saturday in the CCL Premier South.
In the Essex Senior League, Frenford will look to extend their lead at the top with a win over sixth placed Benfleet on Saturday.
SE Dons have now moved back into the London area, playing their games at VCD Athletic's old ground. On Tuesday they welcome leaders Fisher for a SCEFL Premier game which should draw a sizeable crowd.
In the tenth tier, two of the CCL Division 1's top four PFC Victoria London and Bovingdon meet on Wednesday, whilst Croydon take on Hythe Town in a battle of two of the leading clubs in the SCEFL Division 1.
If you'd rather see a women's game and/or tick off one of the capital's bigger stadiums in the process then there are three WSL games on Saturday.
Charlton Athletic host London City Lionesses at The Valley at 1230pm, Chelsea welcome Birmingham City to Stamford Bridge at 1245pm and then finally Arsenal play Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium at 530pm.
On Sunday at 2pm, Crystal Palace entertain Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park. In fact, the only WSL game in London not at a main stadium this weekend is West Ham United v Everton which is at Dagenham & Redbridge.
Even the WSL2 match between Watford and Bristol City is at Vicarage Road whilst the derby in Tier 3 between AFC Wimbledon and Fulham is at Plough Lane.
In Tier 4, Actonians welcome Dartford and know a win should keep them top for a second week.
It's also the Second Round Qualifying in the Women's FA Cup this weekend. The biggest tie would appear to be the derby between Bromley and Sutton United which will probably be played at the CopperJax Stadium although I'm struggling to find confirmation of this.
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.
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