TLFG: 17-23 October 2016

After two glorious weeks of getting out and about and watching some live games, I've been back on late shifts missing out on all the fun.

However, I will be off to watch Harrow Borough again on Tuesday after they managed to come from behind in the FA Cup to secure a replay against Margate in Kent. The stakes are high as the winners will earn a place in the First Round where they could draw a lucrative tie against a League One or Two club.

SCEFL side Fisher are holding a Community Day at their new ground on Saturday

I've also never been to Hartsdown Park so I'm looking forward to spending a bit of time by the seaside and will be making a bit of trip of it as I have a couple of days off. I'm already eyeing a visit to the mysterious Shell Grotto...

In other news, Fisher are holding a community day on Saturday when they play Deal Town. They've recently moved to a new ground back in the area where they originally come from and are doing all they can to get local people interested. The Salter Road facilities look good and have Canary Wharf and the rest of the Docklands skyscrapers as a stunning backdrop. If you're in the area, check them out.

I've also heard from West Ham fan Robin who is part of a group of supporters who are trying to petition the Mayor of Newham to help them relocate the West Ham Supporters Club venue from Upton Park to Stratford. Apparently, the supporters club raise money for various charitable causes and this is becoming more difficult following the move to the London Stadium. Click the link above if you want to find out more.

Lastly we've got another guest ground review from Australian reader Nick Guoth who paid a visit to big spending Greenwich Borough as they took on VCD Athletic in the FA Trophy. Here's what he had to say:

GUEST GROUND REVIEW

GREENWICH BOROUGH

by

Nick Guoth

Greenwich Borough have moved back to the Royal Borough of Greenwich after an eight-year hiatus. Through some good work from the chairman and a lengthy deal struck with Cray Valley PM, the ground-sharing will continue for some period into the future. The ground is easy to get to via a number of different methods of transport and there is ample parking on site. I used a bus from Lewisham.

The entry was £10 as Greenwich are a Ryman League team and once inside, the ground is fenced off with six-foot picket-style fencing, coloured in red and black - Greenwich colours. On the building that is the clubhouse there are two large painted banners, one in green and black for Cray and one in red and black for Greenwich. 

There are two stands, one on the northern side which is standing only, called the "Family Stand", and a somewhat larger one on the southern side with has four rows of seats primarily coloured red and back alternatively with a green set in the middle of the stand. There is also a small shop near the entry where one can purchase replica shirts and old programmes. Finally, about 30 minutes prior to kickoff, the team sheet is handed out to any spectators who are interested, a worthy touch not commonly found at other grounds.

This game was a replay from the 1-1 draw at Old Road, Crayford on Saturday in the FA Trophy. I think VCD Athletic win the toss as they kicked down the hill. The ground is sloped more than any other I have seen so far with probably a drop of about three to four feet between the eastern end and the western end. Primarily, the game was played in the two defensive/attacking areas of the park as long ball was the plan of both teams. Early on the home side broke the deadlock. An intelligent cross-field clearance from the right back was brought down and from the parried shot the ball fell to Denness who could have tapped in, but chose to slam the ball into the empty net from one yard out.

It appeared that with the slope and, what appeared to be momentum, Greenwich would continue and see the game out. However, a cross from the left was met well by Newby who headed past the Greenwich goalkeeper to tie up the scores with 20 minutes left. Then, 10 minutes later, an error from one of the defenders, too high up in the opposing half and with no real understanding of what to do with the ball, led to the winner. Having stripped the ball, the VCD players took it down the right. Stevenson made an unchecked, darting run into the box, received the ball and beat the Greenwich keeper at the near post. As he had done in the Saturday match Stevenson was the hero for VCD.

The game itself, as I mentioned before, tended to rely on long-ball throughout. The midfield rarely obtained a touch, if they existed at all. However, late in the game it was a surprising that VCD started to play the ball on the ground and I feel that their work through that method generated the first goal and assisted somewhat in the second. The last 10 minutes were tense and typical of a cup tie but probably the better team won.

ED - thanks a lot Nick. We'd love to hear from any other TLFG readers who want to send in a brief ground review. Get in touch by one of the methods outlined at the bottom of the page if you do.

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THE WEEK AHEAD

There are well over 100 matches in the London area over the next week with the Premier League and EFL taking centre stage. The FA Vase is back and there are games in several county and minor league cups too.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. 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 (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

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

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 17 October

Professional Development League
Millwall v Crystal Palace @2pm - the Lions' U23 side kick things off again this week with this interesting derby against the Eagles. According to the blurb I've seen it's being played at Bromley's ground but confirm with the club before you travel

Ryman League Premier Division
Kingstonian v Enfield Town @745pm - the early kick-off in the match above could see you catch two games on Monday with this Ryman League game being the pick of the non-league action. The K's groundshare with AFC Wimbledon so you'll get the chance to visit an EFL ground too

Ryman League Division 1 North
Aveley v Phoenix Sports @745pm - the visitors have just lost top spot to Cheshunt but only on goal difference and they have two games in hand. A win here will put them back in control but Aveley are play-off contenders themselves so it will be tough

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Tuesday 18 October

Championship
Fulham v Norwich City @745pm - the biggest match of the night sees leaders Norwich pay a visit to Craven Cottage but they haven't won there since 1986
Queens Park Rangers v Bristol City @745pm - just up the road in Shepherd's Bush, QPR also face a tough evening as they host fifth-placed City

League One
Millwall v Bolton Wanderers @745pm - both sides were fancied to do well this season but while the Lions have faltered, Bolton have kept themselves in the top three

Ryman League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v Harlow Town @745pm - despite being the biggest club in the division, Dulwich are woefully inconsistent at the moment with only one win in five. However, when it clicks it clicks as Lowestoft, Folkestone and Grays discovered

Essex Senior League
Barking v Waltham Forest @745pm - the hosts have recently claimed top spot and with several games in hand on most of their rivals it's looking really good for them. However, fourth-placed Forest are one of the few teams who have played fewer games and might realistically be their main challengers

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Wednesday 19 October

Champions League
Arsenal v Ludogorets Razgrad @745pm - next up for the Gunners are the Bulgarian league champions who have come to dominate their domestic competitions following a takeover by Kiril Domuschiev in 2010. Despite this, Arsenal should take all three points with relative ease.

Uefa Youth League

Arsenal v Ludogorets Razgrad @1pm - if you're in town for the game above, you can see the sides' respective U19 sides battle it out at Boreham Wood's ground at lunchtime

Middlesex Senior Cup First Round
Hendon v Wembley @745pm - for me, the best non-league game features these two local rivals whose grounds both afford views of the national stdium
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Friday 21 October

FA Vase First Round
FC Elmstead v Sporting Club Thamesmead @745pm - get your weekend of football watching underway with some cup football in Bromley as two clubs from south-east London look to take another step towards Wembley

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Saturday 22 October

Premier League
Arsenal v Middlesbrough @3pm - on paper this should be a comfortable win for the hosts but they only scraped past a weak Swansea outfit on Saturday so must avoid complacency at all costs
West Ham United v Sunderland @3pm - now two games unbeaten, the Hammers are slowly pulling away from the bottom three. The Mackems are winless and rooted to the bottom so anything less than victory will be close to disastrous

Championship
Brentford v Barnsley @3pm - both made decent starts to the campaign and consequently find themselves in the top 11 and well placed for a tilt at the play-offs. However, things have gone badly wrong for the Tykes in recent weeks and they're now winless in five

League One
Millwall v Fleetwood Town @3pm - there's not too much of interest about this midtable match other than the fact that the Lancashire club have never won at The Den but that's been made a lot harder by the fact that they've only played there once

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Macclesfield Town @3pm - the Daggers have had some big games in recent weeks and face another one here. At the moment the hosts are two points off top spot in second but the visiting Silkmen will draw level with them if they win

National League South
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Maidenhead United @3pm - the game of the day in the NLS pits third versus first. I saw the Beavers play about six weeks ago and they gave a great account of themselves as they beat St Albans. The Magpies will be a different proposition though and are already five points clear at the top with one league defeat from 14 so far this season

Ryman League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v AFC Sudbury @3pm - the top five have already formed a group which seem to be pulling away while, at the time of writing, Dulwich and Sudbury represent the best of the rest. Locked together on 18 points, at least one of them will try and keep pace with the leaders

Ryman League Division 1 North
Phoenix Sports v Bury Town @3pm - it's a big week for Phoenix who will come into this game as leaders if they can get something out of their match against Aveley on Monday. Bury are currently third and have a game in hand so might even be top themselves by teatime on Saturday - huge game

Southern League Division 1 Central
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Barton Rovers @3pm - from a TLFG point of view, Ashford are leading the charge for honours in this division. Having been promoted last season, they're up in the top six and doing well. Barton are fourth so victory here would be impressive and great for morale

FA Vase First Round - this competition features sides playing in the ninth, tenth and, in a few cases, eleventh tiers. It is open to clubs all over the country with the final at Wembley. Although this is the 'First' round, there have been two qualifying rounds previous to this one. The winning club in each tie receives  prize money of £675 and the losers £225. At this stage there are still over 200 teams in the draw so there's a long way to go yet.

Abbey Rangers v Tunbridge Wells @3pm - I think I'm right in saying that this is the first year Abbey Rangers have entered the Vase and they've done really well to get this far already. On Saturday they welcome the beaten finalists from 2012-13. The Kent club are steeped in history having been around since 1886 so it will almost be like having royalty come to visit
Walton & Hersham v Thame United @3pm - two of the form teams from the Combined Counties League and Hellenic League meet at Stompond Lane in this tie. W&H were once one of the greats of non-league with an FA Amateur Cup win in 1973 and several notable runs in the FA Cup. Now playing way down in the ninth tier following relegation last season, they're looking to get back on track
Wembley v Desborough Town @3pm - what better way to watch an early round game than in the shadow of the national stadium itself? It's always worth going to see a match at Wembley if they're playing in an FA competition just to be able to see the gleaming arch over the east stand. This match is also a fine one on paper too as second in the Spartan South Midlands League host third in the United Counties League

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Sunday 23 October

Premier League
Chelsea v Manchester United @4pm - for most of the 21st century these two teams have been the dominant powers of the English game. However, times have changed as money and success has gone to other clubs. Not only did they both fail to win the Premier League last season, neither qualified for the Champions League and Chelsea failed to get into Europe at all. Although it's still early days, neither are in the top four again. However, a win for the Blues and a set of freak results elsewhere could see them end the week back on top

FA Vase First Round
Wadham Lodge v Hertford Town @2pm - the alternative to the glitz of Stamford Bridge can be found at Wadham Lodge Sports Ground up in the wilds of Walthamstow. The hosts have so far failed to show the form that propelled them to a top-six finish in last season's Essex Senior League but should be more than capable of giving Hertford a game

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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

TLFG: 10-16 October 2016

For the second week running I managed to spend my Saturday afternoon at a real live football match.

After enjoying Harrow Borough's FA Cup win over Winchester last week, this time I found myself at Champion Hill for the Ryman League fixture between Dulwich Hamlet and Bognor Regis Town.

The south-east London club had decided to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street and the Spanish Civil War by holding a 'Trade Union Day' with the members of any union gaining entry for just £4 (a discount of 60%). 

I've never really been into the whole union thing but at my place of work it's the done thing to join and I signed up just over a year ago. So with membership card in hand, I went to claim my discount.

Having been to Dulwich several times over the last few years, I've become used to having to join a sizeable queue at the turnstiles (unlike at many other non-league grounds) as their various promotions have really captured the local community's attention.

A large crowd packed into Champion Hill on Saturday as Dulwich's Trade Union Day promotion paid off

Bognor, one of the better teams in the division, brought a sizeable following of their own and were in good voice throughout and they had reason to be as they gave an accomplished performance which saw them run out 3-1 winners. 

Despite defeat, the crowd of 2,217 and the funds they injected into the club's coffers probably softened the disappointment.

The Hamlet have had their detractors over the last two or three years for becoming too hipster, too middle class, too politically left wing or whatever but some might say so what? During that period they've gone from being just another club to the biggest one in the league with their average attendance of just under 1,000 almost double that of anyone else in the Ryman Premier. To be fair, you can't even accuse the new fans of being glory hunters as they haven't won anything during that time. 

When you also consider clubs like Crystal Palace and Millwall are on their doorstep and Chelsea aren't a million miles away, to get these crowds is even more of an achievement.

Maybe things were a little too political yesterday for many clubs and some fans but it worked because Dulwich seem to understand their audience and know how to use the tools that will help them reach them.

I believe that in the current footballing and economic climate, more clubs should be able to grow in a similar way but it does take vision, a strong connection with the local community, manpower, a willingness to do things differently and the commitment to see things through. As friends at Dulwich have told me, this success hasn't happened overnight.

Harrow Borough, my own favourites, have started to try and boost attendances too with some promotions of their own. On Saturday they decided to offer half-price entry to anyone going to England v Malta at nearby Wembley Stadium. To make sure this would work for all parties, they brought forward kick-off in their match against Billericay to 1pm. Although the crowd was nothing like that at Dulwich it was probably about 30-35% up on what they've been getting for most games this season which is significant.

If any other clubs want to do something, a great way to start is by trying to exploit an international break when there are football fans - stadium going and armchair - who will be without their normal clubs and a percentage of them will definitely want to watch something else instead. The next one is on Saturday 12 November so if your club are interested, you've got just over a month to pull something together. Please ask if you'd like any advice or suggestions.

That's it from me. Sadly I'm working this weekend otherwise I'd be at Earlsmead for Harrow's hugely important FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round tie against as yet to be decided opposition. Come on the Boro!

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are well over 90 matches in the London area over the next week as the Premier League and Championship make their return. The FA Cup is back, there are some FA Trophy replays as well as games in several county and minor league cups.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. 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 (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

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

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 10 October

Professional Development League
Millwall v Leeds United @2pm - the U23 sides of these two former top-flight clubs meet at The Den in a lunchtime game with adult tickets priced at £5

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Sutton Common Rovers v Westfield @745pm - SCR have made a disappointing start to the season and face a tough challenge from Woking-based Westfield who will go top if they win their two games in hand

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Tuesday 11 October

Professional Development League
Crystal Palace v Huddersfield Town @1pm - there's more U23 action at Selhurst Park which means you can catch a game at a Premier League ground for £5

FA Trophy Preliminary Round Replay
Greenwich Borough v VCD Athletic @745pm - after fighting out a 1-1 draw on Saturday, these two clubs from south-east London have another go on Tuesday

Ryman League Division 1 North
Phoenix Sports v Haringey Borough @745pm - elsewhere on the south-east side of town Phoenix have made a superb start to the season and are already five points clear at the top, see if they can extend that lead here

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Wednesday 12 October

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Hadley v Edgware Town @745pm - the hosts did superbly well to get to the third qualifying round of the FA Cup before bowing out to Eastbourne Borough after a replay. Consequently they've fallen behind with their league fixtures and are at the wrong end of the division but they are still above local rivals Edgware going into this derby

Essex Senior League

Sporting Bengal United v Clapton @745pm - there's another derby at Mile End Stadium but this time of the East End variety. The Tons usually take a strong and lively following with them which should generate a bit of atmosphere

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Thursday 13 October

FA Trophy Preliminary Round Replay
Carshalton Athletic v Cray Wanderers @745pm - after thrashing out an entertaining 3-3 draw in the original tie on Sunday, these two Ryman League rivals will hopefully provide another entertaining game on what is an otherwise quiet night UPDATE (12/10/16): MATCH POSTPONED

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Friday 14 October

Premier League 2
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City @7pm - the weekend gets underway with this very attractive looking game between the respective U23 sides of the top two teams in the Premier League. Tickets for the game, being played at White Hart Lane, are just £5 but it would seem they are only available until 5pm on Friday afternoon so buy in advance
Arsenal v Southampton @7pm - if Spurs aren't your bag, then you can catch their arch rivals' youngsters in action the same night up at Boreham Wood where the Saints' highly talented side pay a visit

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Saturday 15 October

Premier League
Chelsea v Leicester City @1230pm - the Blues have, by their high standards, made a disappointing start to the season and are already five points off title pace. On Saturday they welcome the reigning league champions who have so far struggled to replicate that form but will no doubt be well up for this one
Crystal Palace v West Ham United @530pm - these two London rivals have almost swapped the roles they played at the end of last season with Palace now pushing towards the Europa League places and the Hammers fighting the drop. It is of course early days but the visitors badly need a win
Arsenal v Swansea City @3pm - the Gunners could go top with a win against the struggling Swans who welcome new manager Bob Bradley into the dugout

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Reading @3pm - QPR return from the international break with a tough derby game against the Royals who are fancied to be among the play-off contenders this year

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Swindon Town @3pm - after an iffy start to life in the third tier, the Dons have upped their game and are now only two points off the play-off places, the form guide suggests they should win here

League Two
Leyton Orient v Luton Town @3pm - the O's are a club in trouble and are going through managers like they're going out of fashion. They were a penalty shoot-out away from a place in the Championship a couple of years ago but now they look all set for a dramatic fall into non-league football if things don't pick up soon. The visiting Hatters know full well what that feels like after a very traumatic decade but they're on their way back up and start as firm favourites

FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round - this is the final round before the pro clubs from League One and League Two enter. It is therefore absolutely massive for the 64 non-league clubs who've made it this far - in some cases it could be the biggest game in their history. With £12,500 awarded to the winners of each tie, the gate receipts from a larger than normal attendance and the promise of a potentially even bigger pay day in the next round, the incentives to progress are huge

Sutton United v Forest Green Rovers @3pm - the U's have landed the toughest opposition they could've drawn with National League leaders FGR coming to Gander Green Lane. It will be tricky but Sutton should take confidence from the fact that they drew their away league game against the Gloucestershire outfit
Dagenham & Redbridge v Wealdstone @3pm - in many ways this tie appeals to me more than the one above as it pits two TLFG clubs from the far east and west of London against each other. The Daggers were a Football League club this time last year and look like strong contenders to bounce straight back up. The Stones play in the division below but cheered on by a sizeable and vocal following, should make life hard for their hosts
Boreham Wood v Hendon @3pm - these two are local rivals and used to meet regularly in the Ryman League but after a few truly great years, the Wood are now two divisions above the Greens in the National League. Given this and the fact they have home advantage it should be a foregone conclusion but with Hendon having already seen off the likes of Dulwich Hamlet and AFC Rushden & Diamonds it might not be
Welling United v Whitehawk @3pm - the FA Cup has provided the Wings with some relief from their otherwise disappointing season. Relegated into the National League South at the end of last season, they are in danger of going down again but have bagged nine goals in their two ties so far to raise spirits. Whitehawk are a much tougher proposition than Swindon Supermarine and Whyteleafe were but are also among the NLS strugglers so can be beaten
Harrow Borough v Margate @3pm - the draw has been kind to Boro so far, landing them lower division opposition in the three previous rounds. Given who they could've got, they've been pretty lucky again. Margate won the Ryman Premier play-offs a couple of years ago and, with some significant investment behind them, looked like a club who could be going places. That financing ended last season and they're no longer quite the side they were. However, as they play in the division above Harrow, they should still start as favourites here
Egham Town v St Albans City @3pm - hailing from the eighth tier, the Sarnies are one of the lowest ranked teams left in the competition and it's been 25 years since they last reached this stage so this is really big for them. The Saints play two divisions above and are among the promotion contenders so it will be quite an upset if Egham win

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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

TLFG: 3-9 October 2016

"Saturday, what a day" - as the theme tune to Happy Days used to tell us.

For me, it was one of the best Saturdays for a long time despite having to get up at 3.45am for work!

However, the good thing about that was that it got me out in time to actually watch a live game but more on that later.

As a QPR fan, one of the main events of the season is the derby with west London rivals Fulham. Yesterday we came up against them in a lunchtime game (meaning I couldn't go), with many Rangers fans expecting the worst.

Not only have the Cottagers completely dominated us in recent years with several wins by four goals or more, we were heading into the game on the back of yet another unwelcome scandal, still to be proven, this time surrounding our manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. 

The Dutchman's name has been dragged through the mud this week after corruption allegations were made about him in the Daily Telegraph (all vigorously denied by JFH). With recent results having also been iffy, many QPR fans had their knives sharpened and were ready and happy to give him the boot, especially if Fulham got one over on us again.

Harrow Borough (red) go close during their FA Cup match against Winchester

What transpired was quite remarkable. The hosts were awarded but then missed an early penalty. QPR took the lead through a striker who hasn't been able to score for toffee since signing in January. Fulham equalised through an even more ineffectual frontman before Rangers weathered some heavy pressure and then nicked a late goal to lead 2-1. But the drama didn't end there as the Cottagers won and then missed another penalty with the final kick of the game. Cue scenes of wild celebration in the away end!

While all this was going on, I was making my way out to the suburbs of north-west London where I grew up to go and watch Harrow Borough, my other football love, host Winchester City in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup.

Things start to get serious at this stage of the competition with clubs well aware that only 180 minutes of football separate them from the First Round Proper and ties against the likes of former Premier League clubs like Bolton Wanderers, Charlton Athletic and Sheffield United. 

With £7,500 up for grabs just for winning Saturday's tie, the money on offer in the FA Cup is huge to sides who play further down the pyramid.

On paper Harrow were the stronger team, playing a level above their opponents who had made a not inconsiderable journey up from Hampshire.

However, it was the visitors who took an early lead from the penalty spot and then went on to have much the better of the first half to lead 1-0 at the interval.

Whether the conditions or the slope on Harrow's pitch played a part I don't know but the second half was almost one-way traffic with Boro pushing for an equaliser.

Member of a trade union? You'll get in for £4 at Dulwich on Saturday

Despite seeming to have most of the play, they didn't really create any great chances until the closing stages when Shaun Preddie equalised from a corner and then Ibrahim Meite won it deep into injury time with a composed finish from a cross.

When I used to watch Harrow regularly, they were always woeful in the FA Cup but they've done pretty well over recent years reaching the First Round in 2010 (losing to Chesterfield) and the Fourth Qualifying Round again two years ago.

With all the National League sides entering at the next stage, there are going to be some big names waiting to be picked in Monday's draw. With the competition still regionalised at this point, Harrow won't be able to draw Tranmere Rovers but former Football League clubs like Dagenham & Redbridge, Aldershot, Maidstone and Torquay are all a possibility as is a derby against local arch rivals Wealdstone which would be quite something!

Well that was my Saturday - I hope yours was good too.

Next weekend I'm intending to go to Dulwich Hamlet v Bognor Regis Town. There's another international break and the hosts are offering a special deal to get new people in. Harrow Borough have also got something planned too - see the Daily Digest towards the foot of the page for the details.

Talking of Dulwich, our friends at 'Two Men In Search Of The Beautiful Game' recently went to check out their game against Hendon - you can read about it here.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Despite there being an international break there are still 90 matches in the London area over the next week with a World Cup qualifier and games in the EFL, FA Cup, FA Trophy and several county and minor league cups.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. 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 (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

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

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 3 October

Essex Senior League
Tower Hamlets v Sporting Bengal United @745pm - there's only one game on but it's a bit of treat as the two inhabitants of Mile End Stadium meet for this local East End derby

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Tuesday 4 October

Checkatrade Trophy - this competition features League One, League Two and, controversially, U23 sides from 16 Premier League and Championship clubs. We're still at the group stage at the moment and tickets are very cheap with adult tickets at between £5-10 for most games.

AFC Wimbledon v Plymouth Argyle @745pm - the Dons have voiced very strong concerns about the introduction of U23 sides to this competition and even urged their fans to stay away from their last match. This one should be a bit better attended as it's against, in their view, a more bone fide opponent. They're also enjoying a decent unbeaten run at the moment but nothing like that of League Two leaders Argyle who have only lost once this season
Millwall v Gillingham @745pm - with the Gills located just outside south-east London this is effectively a derby. Last season these two were promotion rivals and you'd expect them to do well again this time but neither have really got going yet

National League
Bromley v Woking @745pm - this match already has the feel of a relegation 'six-pointer' about it as both have made disappointing starts. Given this is a national division, this can fairly be described as a derby too as the Cards are another club who live just outside TLFG's catchment area

FA Cup Third Qualifying Round Replay
Egham Town v Faversham Town @745pm - with the fourth qualifying round draw taking place on Monday, the winners of this should know who their opponent will be. With several former Football League clubs in the draw, it could mean a big payday for the victors

Combined Counties League Cup
Raynes Park Vale v Colliers Wood United @745pm - it's A3 derby time again and it's already the second meeting of the season for these two local rivals. The last match just over a month ago ended in a 2-2 draw

Essex Senior League
Barking v Barkingside @745pm - as the names would suggest these two don't play a million miles apart so it's a derby. It's also a good chance to take a look at Barking who have recently moved into top spot


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Wednesday 5 October

FA Cup Third Qualifying Round Replay
Hadley v Eastbourne Borough @745pm - the match of the night, for me, takes place up in Barnet where ninth tier Hadley have done amazingly well to get to this stage of the competition (a club record). Having drawn with their sixth-tier opponents away from home on Saturday, it would be quite a story if they made it through here

Ryman League Division 1 South

Walton Casuals v Dorking Wanderers @745pm - the Stags are spending this season groundsharing with Whyteleafe which is a whopping 16 miles (25km) from where they're from. Despite this upheaval, they've made a good start and welcome the current league leaders on Wednesday

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Croydon v AFC Croydon Athletic @745pm - there seems to be loads of good derbies this week and this is no exception with the visitors already four points clear in the SCEFL

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Friday 7 October

U23 Professional Development League
Queens Park Rangers v Nottingham Forest @2pm - if it's a lunchtime bargain you're after, get along to Loftus Road for 2pm where it's free to get in

Southern Counties East League Division 1
Holmesdale v FC Elmstead @745pm - get your weekend underway with some Friday night football down near Bromley. It's a midtable clash but the clubs groundshare meaning there will be that little bit more at stake

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Saturday 8 October

World Cup Qualifier
England v Malta @5pm - the post-Sam Allardyce era begins in earnest this week with the Three Lions taking on one of Europe's smaller nations at Wembley. It should be a cakewalk even for this England side and tickets are still available

League Two
Leyton Orient v Portsmouth @3pm - with it being an international break, this is only EFL game taking place in the capital but it's a pretty decent one with Pompey likely to bring a large following

National League
Sutton United v Woking @3pm - newly promoted Sutton were up with the leaders a few weeks ago but have become a bit inconsistent and have dropped back into midtable. However, a win in this Surrey derby could put them back in contention for a play-off place

National League South
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Poole Town @3pm - I saw the Beavers in action on Non-League Day and was very impressed as they took St Albans apart. They've kept things going nicely and are second going into this match against another top-five side

Ryman League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v Bognor Regis Town @3pm - these sides last met in last season's play-off semi-finals which Dulwich won. So far this season, Bognor have made the brighter start but it should be close. A big crowd is expected, especially as the hosts are holding a 'Trade Union Day' so if you're a member of a union and turn up with your membership card you'll get in for just £4.
Harrow Borough v Billericay Town @1pm - the other deal of the day is to be found at Earlsmead where kick-off has been brought forward to allow anyone with a ticket for England v Malta to pop down there first (it's a five-minute train ride from Wembley) and get in for £5.

FA Trophy Preliminary Round - this knock-out cup competition, with its final at Wembley in May, is contested by teams in the fifth to eighth tiers. This is the opening round and features sides from the eighth tier only. 

VCD Athletic v Greenwich Borough @3pm - the hosts had a great couple of seasons a few years back and climbed from the Kent League up to the Ryman Premier in quick time. They lost their manager and went back down to the Ryman North. Greenwich play in the parallel Ryman South and are the new team on the up, something made possible by some recent big investment from new owners. They are a club to watch but won the SCEFL title last season with virtually no-one watching - they must be careful to do things sustainably or they will almost certainly become another non-league boom/bust club
Chipstead v Kempston Rovers @3pm - like the FA Cup, the Trophy allows teams to come up against sides they would never normally play. On Saturday the Chips welcome last season's United Counties League champions who have made a flying start to life in the Southern League. With only one defeat in 10 league games so far, they are going to be tough to beat
Whyteleafe v Cheshunt @3pm - with the Leafe making a disappointing start, this game is again more about the visitors who are well placed to mount a play-off challenge in the Ryman North


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Sunday 9 October

FA Trophy Preliminary Round
Cray Wanderers v Carshalton Athletic @3pm - this tie between two sides from the Ryman South looks like a fine way to end the week. Not only are they from the same division but they're just two points apart in sixth and seventh so appear well matched too

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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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

TLFG: 26 September - 2 October 2016

After last week's moaning I'm feeling a bit more positive.

I'm not sure why - QPR have gone another two games without winning as have Harrow Borough but I've had a few days in the country enjoying a bit of rest and relaxation.

I've received some interesting emails from some of you and saw an interview I gave about Non-League Day published in this month's copy of German football magazine 11Freunde. I've also been invited to co-author a book which is both flattering and a really big challenge. 

It looks like being another action-packed week with even more on offer than the last seven days. 

The chances of me seeing a game look slim again as I move on to early shifts (I have to be up at 4am tomorrow and 3am on Tuesday) but Wednesday could be a possibility.

This week 'Two Men In Search...' pay a visit to Wembley

Our good friends at 'Two Men In Search Of The Beautiful Game' have been out and about again. Their latest trip took them to Wembley for Tottenham's first Champions League 'home' game against Monaco a couple of weeks back. The other two games against Bayer Leverkusen and CSKA Moscow are set to go on general sale on Wednesday at pretty reasonable prices so see the Spurs website for more info if you're interested.

Personally, the main highlights of the week for me will be QPR's big derby game at Fulham and also the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round both of which take place on Saturday afternoon. If you fancy going to the game at Craven Cottage, at the time of writing, there are still tickets available on general sale in the QPR end for £25.

I think that's about it from me - enjoy!

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 100 matches in the London area over the next week with games in the Champions League, Premier League, EFL, FA Cup, FA Vase, several county cups and the development leagues.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. 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 (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

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

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 26 September

Premier League 2
Fulham U23 v Norwich City U23 @7pm - Monday is becoming the day to get your dose of development football with the Cottagers entertaining the Canaries at their Motspur Park training ground where it's only £3 to get in
West Ham United v Brighton & Hove Albion @7pm - if you'd rather see a game at a proper stadium, the Hammers will playing this at Dagenham & Redbridge's ground

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Tuesday 27 September

Championship
Brentford v Reading @745pm - in terms of mileage, Brentford are the Royals' nearest divisional rivals so this is a derby. They're both also in with an excellent chance of making the play-offs this year

League Two
Leyton Orient v Plymouth Argyle @745pm - the O's welcome the leaders for this match between clubs who should be playing at a higher level

Ryman League Division 1 North
Phoenix Sports v Maldon & Tiptree @745pm - the hosts have had a great few years which has seen them win a couple of promotions and develop their ground significantly. They now find themselves top of this division and take on one of the other early pacesetters here
Thurrock v Aveley @745pm - if it's a derby you want, these two play just one mile apart, they're both also in with a shout of the play-offs

Essex Senior League
Clapton v London Bari @745pm - we've got a grounshare derby in Forest Gate where only one place and two points separate the teams in the ESL table
West Essex v Barking @745pm - a bit further to the east we've got another groundshare derby where the 'visitors' are among this season's title contenders

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Wednesday 28 September

Champions League

Arsenal v FC Basel @745pm - at first glance you'd expect an in-form Gunners side to win this with ease but the Swiss outfit have become a decent side in recent years and have won nine out of nine domestically this season so should be no pushovers

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
AFC Croydon Athletic v Beckenham Town @745pm - on Wednesday night we've got a chance to take a look at the Rams who've made a great start to sit two points clear after eight games, it's also a derby too

FA Vase Second Qualifying Round Replay
SC Thamesmead v Ringmer @745pm - both sides play in the 10th tier and both are down near the bottom, partly due to having had a decent cup run. If the hosts win, it will be the furthest they have been in the competition

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Friday 30 September

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Cray Valley PM v Erith Town @745pm - CVPM have made a great start to the campaign and are second at the time of writing whilst Erith are rooted to the bottom

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Saturday 1 October

Premier League
Watford v Bournemouth @3pm - the Hornets and Cherries both came up last season and confounded many by staying up. The hosts could well be up in seventh by the time this game comes round which would be some achievement
West Ham United v Middlesbrough @3pm - the Hammers have arguably been the disappointment of the season so far with five defeats from six. They really must win against new boys Boro or things will start to get really tricky for boss Slaven Bilic

Championship
Fulham v Queens Park Rangers @1245pm - this west London derby is one of the biggest non-Premier League games you can see in London. The Cottagers are a huge bogey team for QPR so will start as considerable favourites

League One
Charlton Athletic v Rochdale @3pm - neither side are doing particularly well but it's a great chance to watch some EFL action on the cheap as all tickets are just £5

League Two
Barnet v Leyton Orient @3pm - we've also got a derby at The Hive where the Bees welcome the only other London club in the division

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Tranmere Rovers @530pm - the game of the day in non-league takes place at Victoria Road where first plays fourth, a huge game

FA Cup Third Qualifying Round - it's starting to get serious for the 80 clubs who have made it to this round with £7,500 of prize money up for grabs and only two matches between themselves and the likes of Bolton, Charlton and Sheffield United in the first round proper 

Wealdstone v Banbury United @3pm - the Stones play a division above their visitors so should start as favourites but the Puritans are having a fine season so should push them
Welling United v Swindon Supermarine @3pm - the Wings have drawn eighth-tier opposition for the second round running which should see them progress despite their poor league form
Hendon v AFC Rushden & Diamonds @3pm - the Greens welcome the reincarnation of a former third tier team for this tie. Rushden have been climbing the leagues in recent seasons but are still a division below their hosts
Harrow Borough v Winchester City @3pm - Boro made it to the fourth qualifying round two years ago and the first round in 2010 and with this home draw against lower division opposition, have a great chance of progressing again
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Sunday 2 October

Ryman League Premier Division
Kingstonian v Grays Athletic @3pm - neither side are pulling up any trees but there's nothing else on so give it a go

---------------------------------------------------------------------

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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

TLFG: 19-25 September 2016

The last week has made me realise a few things, not least that as you grow older your tastes definitely change.

Last Saturday I had the chance to go and watch QPR for the first time this season but actively decided to make other plans. On Tuesday they played Newcastle, one of the biggest games of the season, and got hammered 0-6. This was Rangers' heaviest home defeat of all time and I hardly batted an eyelid and I've been trying to think why and how my interest has waned so spectacularly.

Probably the highlight of my entire football watching life was being at Wembley just over two years ago when Bobby Zamora netted that dramatic late winner in the play-off final against Derby. I've never felt such a football high as that ball went in and it's a feeling that hopefully I'll never forget. 

Five years ago I was having sleepless nights ahead of crucial games prior to our promotion back into the Premier League after a 15-year absence. In other years, I made firm decisions not to attend crucial promotion and relegation matches because my nerves simply couldn't take it. I would have Saturdays and whole weekends ruined by defeats.

But not any more.

The other day I admitted to friends that if I didn't live in Shepherd's Bush I probably wouldn't bother going any more. 

We're not even doing that badly so why do I feel like this?

Maybe it's the promise of great things that never materialised since welcoming a succession of billionaire owners to the club - yes, we got three seasons in the Premier League out of it but two were a complete embarrassment.

Had enough of my moaning? Watch this video from our friends at 'Two Men In Search of the Beautiful Game' instead

Maybe it's the fact that our failure to progress despite these riches can be put alongside the likes of Swansea, Southampton, Crystal Palace and Leicester who have all come up since 2011 and either got to cup finals, made it into Europe or won the blimming Premier League with far less. 

Maybe it's the thought that £29 is now the price of the cheapest ticket to watch a bog standard Championship game against the likes of Barnsley or Rotherham (no offence).

Maybe I'm just feeling glum as it's the end of the summer and we've had a dodgy result or two. 

I've got the chance to go and watch them play Sunderland in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night - tickets are only £6.70 and the Mackems are in worse form than we are. We could win against a Premier League side and make it into the last 16 of a major cup competition - I can feel a stir of excitement returning...

Now I've just heard that manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink intends to play a reserve team and with that I'm back to square one. 

Alongside this plunge in interest, my love of non-league has made a strong comeback. 

If you're a new reader, as a teenager I almost totally devoted my life to following my local club Harrow Borough all over the place. I had probably the most enjoyable times I've had as a football fan despite the team being pretty bad throughout that time and the entire 28 years I've been a follower.

Football at this level is far more accessible. You feel far more involved. The grounds, and some of the people are quirky, weird and wonderful. What the players may lack in ability is usually more than made up for with passion. There are strong fan rivalries but the atmosphere is rarely toxic or threatening as it is or has the potential to be at most games in the professional ranks. 

For me, it's generally more fun and I also know that my money makes a difference whereas in the Premier League clubs could play in empty stadiums all season and it would hardly impact on their balance sheets.

This might all simply be down to the fact that I'm now in my early forties and becoming very middle aged - I've seen it all before, I don't need the hassle or expense of the Premier League, my team are never going to win it so why get that worked up? I remember meeting a friend of my uncle's back in the '80s who told me he 'used to be a QPR fan' but had since lost interest. I thought such a statement was crazy back then. How could anyone fall out of love with their team? Now I am well on my way to becoming that man.

Maybe I will make it along to the Sunderland game, maybe we will mount a play-off challenge, maybe we will get back into the Premier League at some point and maybe we'll become the little guys punching well above our weight as we always used to, living within our means, spending prudently and creating stars, earning respect along the way. This might give me back a bit of pride and excitement about what we do but it seems a long way off at the moment.

Anyway, that's just me. Football is still a great game and London is a wonderful place to watch it and this week is once again bursting at the seams with action.

We've also heard from our friends at 'Two Men In Search...' who have been discovering the Beautiful Game in Mile End where they watched Sporting Bengal United take on fellow Eastenders London Bari.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are 100 matches in the London area over the next week with games in the Premier League, EFL, FA Cup, FA Vase, several county cups and the FA Women's Super League.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. 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 (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

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

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 19 September

Professional Development League
Millwall U23 v Nottingham Forest U23 @12pm - get your week of football watching underway with this development game at the Den, the early kick-off will allow you to see at least two games today
Watford U23 v Sheffield Wednesday U23 @7pm - one option is to combine it with a visit to Vicarage Road for this one

Premier League 2
Arsenal U23 v Everton U23 @7pm - or you could go to Boreham Wood for this one which should provide a higher standard of football but you won't get the big stadium

Ryman League Premier Division 
Kingstonian v Bognor Regis Town @745pm - the K's welcome Bognor who made it to the play-offs last season and are well placed for a promotion push again

Essex Senior League
Barkingside v Ilford @745pm - if you're on the east side of London, this groundshare derby could be for you

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Tuesday 20 September

FA Cup Second Qualifying Round Replay
Thamesmead Town v Hanwell Town @745pm - these two eighth-tier sides from the parallel Ryman and Southern Leagues cancelled each other out on Saturday and will do battle again on Tuesday for the £4,500 prize money

Ryman League Premier Division
Staines Town v Enfield Town @745pm - the Swans recorded a notable cupset over local rivals Maidenhead on Saturday and will look to get among the play-off places in the Ryman Premier as they return to league action here
Harrow Borough v Wingate & Finchley @745pm - these two met in the cup last week and produced a thrilling 4-4 draw which W&F eventually won 8-7 on penalties, it will probably be goalless this time

Ryman League Division 1 South
Tooting & Mitcham United v Guernsey @745pm - the Terrors have come flying out of the blocks and are currently four points clear at the top while the Green Lions have made a poor start and should be there for the taking

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Wednesday 21 September

EFL Cup Third Round

West Ham United v Accrington Stanley @745pm - on paper the Premier League Hammers should see off their League Two opponents with ease but they're in poor form and Stanley beat Burnley in the last round so shouldn't be underestimated
Queens Park Rangers v Sunderland @745pm - QPR have hit a bad patch and will hope to raise spirits with the scalp of Premier League strugglers Sunderland - also, tickets are only £6.70 if bought in advance

FA Cup Second Qualifying Round Replay
Colliers Wood United v Merstham @730pm - the Wood are one of the lowest ranked teams left in the competition and did superbly well to hold Merstham, from two divisions above them, to a 0-0 draw on Saturday. They've never been this far before, so to make the third qualifying round would be some achievement

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Friday 23 September

Premier League 2
Chelsea U23 v Arsenal U23 @705pm - with the clubs' first XIs meeting less than 24 hours later, this match at Stamford Bridge should provide a fine hors d'oeurve especially as it's only £5 a ticket

FA Vase Second Qualifying Round
Wadham Lodge v Enfield 1893 @745pm - it's also another big weekend of cup football in the FA Vase and it gets underway in London on Friday night up in Walthamstow with this one between two Essex Senior League sides

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Saturday 24 September

Premier League
Arsenal v Chelsea @530pm - the game of the week takes place at the Emirates Stadium where London's two biggest clubs meet in this teatime encounter

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Birmingham City @3pm - Rangers will be looking to avoid a third straight league defeat but they're up against a Blues side who've only lost once in their eight games so far this season

League One
Millwall v Rochdale @3pm - the Lions suffered a disappointing loss to struggling Southend on Saturday and surrendered their place in the top six in the process, Rochdale present a very real chance of regaining it as they have started poorly

National League
Bromley v Dagenham & Redbridge @3pm - it's derby day down at Hayes Lane as the Ravens welcome the league leaders

National League South
Wealdstone v Truro City @3pm - the Stones are fancied to do well this season and will probably move into the play-off places with victory against their Cornish visitors

Ryman League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v Folkestone Invicta @3pm - the biggest crowd of the day in this division will almost certainly come at Champion Hill where two of its best supported sides meet
Enfield Town v Hendon @3pm - there should also be a healthy turnout for this north London derby

FA Vase Second Qualifying Round
Cockfosters v Hadley Wood & Wingate @3pm - it's derby time up in the far north of London where these two Spartan South Midlands League neighbours contest the bragging rights
London Tigers v Southall @3pm - if it's a derby you're after on the west side of town, then only a few hundred metres of the A40 separate these two local sides
North Greenford United v Oxhey Jets @3pm - an all ninth-tier game between teams from the parallel Combined Counties and Spartan South Midlands Leagues should produce a decent contest
Wembley v Hillingdon Borough @3pm - despite their name, the hosts have never made it to one of the big finals while Boro have been runners-up in the Trophy and Vase, the latter as recently as 2006
Glebe v Deal Town @3pm - Glebe are currently top of the Southern Counties East League Division 1 and are figuratively snapping at some of the lower ranked teams, like Deal, in the division above - this should be a good test of how good a team they are
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Sunday 25 September

Premier League
West Ham United v Southampton @4pm - these two have made underwhelming starts after great seasons last year but while West Ham aren't showing signs of recovery yet, the Saints have won two on the bounce

FA Women's Super League 2
Millwall Lionesses v Watford Ladies @2pm - if you can't get a ticket for the above, you could head down to the Den instead for some women's football but I doubt you'd want to if you're a West Ham fan

---------------------------------------------------------------------

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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.