Clapton Community FC vs Denham United takes place on Sunday, December 3 2023 with a 1.30pm kick off at the Old Spotted Dog Ground, Forest Gate, East London.

After an emphatic return to winning ways last Sunday in the Capital Women’s Cup, the Clapton CFC Women’s First Team are once again in cup action, this time in the London & South East Regional Women’s League Trophy.

It is the first of three home games on the bounce, meaning we will only have three home league games after Christmas and eight away games. A season defining period!

The opposition 

Denham United is one of the largest dedicated all female football clubs in England. They have teams ranging from U9s to seniors, along with a development side for girls age 7+ and like us have their own ground – The Den, in Uxbridge. The first team spent eight seasons in the FA Women’s National League Division 1 South, two levels above, before dropping back down to the sixth tier. 

Previous meetings 

The two teams met twice last season with CCFC winning both, firstly a 2-0 win away then 4-1 in our first competitive win at the Old Spotted Dog Ground. Teju Callisto scored two in both games, with Emily Link and Annie Lyons also netting at home. At the end of the season though, Denham finished one place and one point ahead in the table.

Form guide

Denham currently sit 4th in the 11-team league table with 15 points from 8 games. They also made it through qualifying to the first round of the FA Cup, before falling narrowly to higher division Millwall Lionesses.

It’s been a mixed bag for Clapton CFC so far, and we head into this fixture 4 places and 8 points below our visitors. Some strong results and performances, interspersed by some tougher results, postponements and cancellations have made it a stop-start early few months of the season. Let’s hope that last Sunday’s win, with fantastic individual performances all over the pitch, is a sign of things to come.

Players to watch

Jenny Nagle, one of the top scorers in the division last season with 20 goals, has carried on with 8 goals in the first 9 games of 2023/24. That puts her just behind Teju Callisto at the top of the scoring charts, who has with 10 goals from 11 appearances.

Admission

No tickets are needed, just turn up and pay at the turnstile.

Admission for women’s first team games is by donation, with a suggested £4 for waged adults to match the charge for the men’s first team, but any amount or none at all is fine.

Spectator entry will be via the Disraeli Road turnstile from 12.30pm with kick off at 1.30pm.

Cash and cards are accepted everywhere in the ground – cash is quicker at the turnstile to help prevent queues but card quicker elsewhere.

Food and drink

The Clubhouse bar will open at 12.30pm and close at 5.30pm.

Please help the club by purchasing drinks from the bar. The premises are licensed so we ask you not to bring your own alcohol into the OSD. The profits from the bar are invested in maintaining the grounds.

We have a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks on sale. Two beers are on tap – Pretty Decent Lager and Old Scaffold Daze, our own IPA.

We also have hot drinks (coffee, tea, hot chocolate, Bovril) and water at the bar which are free, please help yourself.

We have crisps, nuts, and Hackney Gelato on sale in the clubhouse.

Outside, Fusion Foods will be selling hot and cold food – meat, veggie and vegan options.

Toy Appeal collection

We’re collecting for the annual Newham Christmas Toy Appeal this weekend. Now in its 46th year, this project provides a stocking of new gifts to children who may otherwise have nothing to unwrap on Christmas Day. All money donated will be spent on buying presents for Newham’s most underprivileged children in advance of Christmas Day.

Please stick some cash in the bucket if you can afford it. Toy donations can be made in person at the Terence Brown Arc In The Park, Canning Town, and Galleons Reach shopping centre. An online JustGiving page has also been set up, at justgiving.com/campaign/toyappeal2023

Hygiene bank collection

The hygiene bank collection is back at all home games, with the collection box at the main entrance. Our charity partners Magpie Project support mums and young children in temporary accommodation. They need:

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

Merch

We will have a 4-page matchday programme available, pick one up for free, donations welcome to cover the printing costs.

There are limited numbers of shirts, scarves, pin badges and keyrings on the merch stall. The stall is open before the game, at half-time, and afterwards, only.

Accessibility

There is an accessible toilet with baby-changing facilities next to the Clubhouse. The Clubhouse main entrance is also step-free.

Pitch access

The Grounds committee request all spectators keep off the pitch before games and at half-time. They need to carry out safety pitch inspections before play begins, which are voided if people have gone on the pitch.

Children welcome

Prams and pushchairs are always very welcome at the OSD, but please avoid blocking walkways.

Make sure all children are behind the perimeter fencing during games please.

Kids can play on the pitch (weather permitting) after games but not before or at half-time.

If/when Clapton CFC wins a game, children are invited to join the players in their post-match celebration on the pitch.

Dogs welcome

Spectators are welcome, in fact encouraged, to bring dogs to the OSD, but please keep on leads.

Bikes welcome

There’s space to leave your bikes inside the Old Spotted Dog Ground, next to the main stand. You can lock them to the fencing. Please don’t leave them locked to the pitch perimeter as it blocks the walkway.

We are currently working on plans for a better bike parking and locking system – watch this space.

Any questions?

If you have any further questions, look for anyone wearing a pink hi-viz vest or the bar staff who will be happy to answer.

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.

If you usually take the Gospel Oak-Barking Riverside line on the London Overground, engineering works are taking place this weekend and the whole line is closed. Rail replacement services are operating between Gospel Oak and Seven Sisters (for South Tottenham) and between Walthamstow Central and Barking. The Victoria Line will take you between Seven Sisters and Walthamstow.

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

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

Map of the Old Spotted Dog Ground