Clapton CFC’s women’s first team kickstart a run of six home games in a row with a very tough game against second placed Brentford.

The Bees finished in a creditable fourth place last season – their first campaign at this level – and have kicked on further this season. 

They also boast two of the division’s top scorers. Young striker Chloe Logie has bagged 15 goals after stepping up from Brentford B team last season, while midfielder Kirsty Matthews has 10 goals.

Both scored in the Bees’ 4-2 win against Watford Development in front of 5,089 fans at the club’s main stadium, Gtech Community Stadium, earlier this season. That massive crowd is a sign of real potential for the team to rise up into the top tiers like their male counterparts have done.

Brentford have had the upper hand in our previous meetings. Earlier this season, we opened the league campaign with a 2-1 defeat at Brentford’s usual home, Bedfont Sports. Last season, we played a friendly there, losing 1-0 on a very sunny summer’s day.

In the 2020/21 season, however, we won home game 3-1 on a very muddy Stray Dog pitch, with goals from Emily Link, Annie Lyons, and Caps Riom. The return fixture, which was played behind closed doors due to Covid, ended in a 2-0 defeat.

That also means the home team has always won so let’s hope that run continues.

Match information

Clapton Community FC vs Brentford takes place at the Old Spotted Dog Ground at 2pm on Sunday February 26 2023.

You do not need to book a ticket in advance, just turn up. Entry to all our games is free, but with donations welcome. We suggest £3 for waged adults for competitive games.

We will have a mini programme available, pick one up for free, donations welcome. We have some replica shirts, woolly hats and scarves on sale too.

Spectator entry will be via the Disraeli Road gates only. The gates and the clubhouse bar will open from 1pm, with kickoff at 2pm, and the bar will remain open after the game.

Fusion Foods will be selling hot and cold food – meat, veggie and vegan options – and accept cards or cash.

There are 28 seats in the main stand, If these are all used and you need to sit, please ask a high-viz safety rep for a chair.

Polly Money and Old Dogs Disco after the match

After the match, we’ve got a 30-minute set from globetrotting artist and Clapton CFC Open Access player Polly Money. Polly is the tour guitarist for arena-filling band The 1975 and a brilliant solo artist playing guitar-infused R&B. She has received prime-time plays from the likes of BBC Radio 1’s Nick Grimshaw, Greg James and Alice Levine, as well as sparkling reviews from The Guardian, The Line of Best Fit, Wonderland, Notion and Clash.  She’s also supported the likes of Muse, Gabrielle Aplin, Orla Gartland, Newton Faulkner and Apre as a support act. Catch Polly performing songs from her most recent EPs “It’s Not That Deep” and “Trip2020” before she hits the road again for a world tour. We’ll also have our regular DJs the Old Dogs Disco spinning records.

Toiletries collection is back

We’re now in a position to bring back the hygiene bank collection at every Old Spotted Dog home game starting this Sunday.

Our charity partners Magpie Project support mums and young children in temporary accommodation. They need:

● Toothpaste ● Toothbrush ● Shower gel ● Shampoo ● Deodorant ● Sanitary towel

We’ll have a collection box in the OSD clubhouse area.

New tinned food bank trial

We have a box for food donations in the clubhouse for anyone to use, donate to, or collect for others. Anyone; members, volunteers, parents, players, builders etc are welcome to come & take what they need, when they need it.

Directions

The Old Spotted Dog Ground is at 212 Upton Lane in Forest Gate, London E7 9NP.

Forest Gate station (Elizabeth Line) and Wanstead Park (Overground) are 15 minutes’ walk away, Plaistow (District / Hammersmith & City) is 20 minutes’ walk, and Stratford (National Rail/Overground/Elizabeth/Jubilee/Central/DLR) is 25 minutes’ walk.

The Elizabeth Line is running to Stratford but it’s a replacement bus service further east. If you’re able to walk, it may be quicker to do that (25 mins) from Stratford rather than wait for the replacement bus.

If you’ve not been to the OSD yet, here are some even more detailed directions.

There’s parking for bikes inside the Old Spotted Dog Ground, you can chain your bike to the railings.

Parking is free on the streets to the north and west of the ground (e.g. Disraeli Rd) on Saturdays and Sundays. On Saturdays, parking is restricted on streets to the east and south of the ground (e.g. St George’s Rd and Upton Lane), but there are no restrictions on Sundays. Always check local signage for any changes. And if possible come by public transport, bike or walk