The Clapton CFC men’s first team return from a weekend off with a home game against a resurgent AVA side on Saturday.

CCFC sit in third place in the table but with games in hand. With both sides above them, Indian Gymkhana and Shepherd’s Bush, not in league action, this is a chance to close the gap.

Although AVA are in the relegation zone, their form and results have been massively improving. Last week they beat Indian Gymkhana while striker Ioan Tudose has scored six in six games having only made his debut in October.

The Clapton CFC men’s first team are still nomadic while the dressing rooms at the Old Spotted Dog Ground are sorted and this one has been squeezed on to the 3G at Wadham Lodge.

Games on the 3G are for the hardcore – particularly with the cold snap on the way – but please come if you can to cheer on the team ahead of a possible promotion push at the OSD.

This is the second last game of 2022, with just the tasty East London derby away at Stonewall to follow on December 17 before Christmas.

AVA are a Romanian heritage side formed in 2016 as a youth football club by former footballer Adrian Avasâlcăi. The club name comes from his name.

In 2019 they signed a partnership with the Gheorghe Hagi Football Academy, the first ever international partnership for the legendary former Romanian player.

They also added an adult men’s team in 2019 and during the two Covid-19 affected seasons, they notched up a whopping 15 wins and just 2 defeats.

Unsurprisingly, the Middlesex County Football League decided to lift them up from Division One to the Premier Division to fill vacancies.

Last season, their first at this level, they finished ninth out of 14. We did the double over them, winning 2-1 away and 3-0 at home.

So AVA will be looking for their first win over Clapton CFC.

Match information

Clapton CFC vs AVA takes place on Saturday, December 10 2022 at 3pm, on the 3G pitch at Wadham Lodge Sports Ground, Kitchener Road, Walthamstow.

Advanced tickets are not needed, you can just turn up. It is free to watch as usual but with donations welcome, with a suggested £3 for waged adults.

We will have a mini programme available so pick one up for free, donations welcome.

The Matchday Centres bar will be open. There will be no catering.

Travel

Wadham Lodge is about 20 minutes’ walk from Walthamstow Central station. Turn onto Hoe Street and follow the road all the way along (past the junction with The Bell pub) until Chingford Lane. Continue past Sir George Monoux 6th Form College and take the first right onto Brookscroft Road then left onto Kitchener Road.

You can catch a bus along that route too. The 357, 34, 97, 215 will all take you to the top of Brookscroft Road from Walthamstow Central. It will take about 12 minutes. You can also alight at Blackhorse Road Station. The 123 from the stop opposite the station on Forest Road will take you as far as the crossroads with Hoe Street/Chingford Road – alight at the stop for Bromley Road.

You can bring your bike and leave it around the 3G cage if there are no spaces left in the bike rack near the Wadham Lodge clubhouse.

If you’re driving, please park on a street nearby, as the car park will be busy.