Non-League and Academy football writer

In the lower levels of non-League football (mainly step 7), as well as in Sunday/grassroots football, I have highlighted five matches, below, which are taking place in London and the surrounding counties this weekend.

Ongar Town versus Ryan FC:

At Wodson Park (Ware FC), Ongar Town face Ryan FC, in an important Essex Alliance Football League Senior Division fixture, on Friday night (kick-off is at 19:45pm). Ongar Town, who ground-share at Wodson Park, are currently in fifth place (after 23 matches played) in the Senior Division table. Eny Okoro’s Ryan FC side start this game in 11th place in the league table, after 19 matches played. This will be a good game however, and one in which both teams will be looking to win, as two good step 7 sides face one another in Hertfordshire.

Camden United versus Camden & Islington United:

In the Premier Division of the Middlesex County Football League, there is a north London derby match taking place on Saturday afternoon, at the New River Stadium. As Camden United and Camden & Islington United go head to head, in a game in which there is so much to play for in, as both sides look to try and challenge for the title. For Camden United, they will be looking to win on Saturday, to really boost their league title chances. They start this game in third place in the standings, after 20 matches played. Leon Louis’s side are five points off top of the table Sporting Duet Academy.

Camden & Islington United, who are another very good side in this step 7 division, will be looking to bounce back from a recent 2-1 league defeat to Indian Gymkhana Club. Camden & Islington are in eighth place in the league table, with 34 points from 20 league matches played, and this could be considered a must win game for them, in regard to their title aspirations this season. I really hope that this big game gets a decent crowd down to the New River Stadium, on Saturday

Old Carthusians versus London Fennecs:

In Surrey on Saturday afternoon (I’m still trying to find the right venue details and kick-off time for this game) former FA Cup winners, Old Carthusians, of the Premier Division (they are top of the league table) of the Arthurian League, host Middlesex County League Premier Division side London Fennecs. This a quarter-final tie of this season’s prestigious Amateur FA Senior Cup, and this promises to be a really interesting and competitive cup tie. Old Carthusians will provide a real test for non-League side London Fennecs, who are very much in a title race (in the Premier Division of the Middlesex League), as well as also competing in the semi-finals of their league cup competition.

London Fennecs and Old Carthusians have never met before, and I really could not predict how this game will go, between two quality sides of their respective leagues. I plan on being at this game on Saturday.  

AFC Muswell Hill versus East London Ballers Reserves:

For the first of two Sunday League games that I’ll be attending this Sunday, I’ll be at Muswell Hill Playing Fields (the game starts at 10:30am), for a quarter-final tie of the London Sunday Junior Cup, between AFC Muswell Hill and East London Ballers Reserves. A big game for both sides, AFC Muswell Hill are currently in third place in Division Two of the Barnet Sunday Football League. East London Ballers Reserves, who are a talented and youthful side, are in first place in Division Two of the Essex Sunday Corinthian Football League. 

Both sides are having really good seasons, and although I’ve never actually seen AFC Muswell Hill’s Sunday team play, I have seen East London Ballers Reserves before, and they play their football fearlessly. I am really looking forward to this important cup tie on Sunday.

East London Ballers versus Shire United:

Finally, at Parsloes Park Hub on early Sunday afternoon, there is a really big FA Sunday Cup quarter-final tie taking place. East London Ballers certainly beat the current holders of the competition, Highgate Albion, very convincingly in the previous round of this most prestigious Sunday cup competition. However, the quality East London Ballers first team will know that the team which they will face in east London on Sunday, in Shire United, will be another very tough test. Shire United, of the North Surrey and Middlesex Border Sunday Football League, have also done really well on their run to the quarter-finals stage of the competition. This will be a game of real quality.