TT No.35: Stephen Harris - Monday 27 August 2007; Hellenic League; North Leigh v Hook Norton.         Result: 4-0; Att: 61  Admission: £4; Programme: issued; FGIF Match Rating: 4*

View matchday images 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 Thanks to the efforts of Chris Berezai and Brian King, the August Bank Holiday weekend is becoming synonymous with the Hellenic League in non-league enthusiasts' eyes.  I was part of a team of three in a hired car and we planned a double-header on the Monday – starting at Wantage Town and moving on to North Leigh.  After a very enjoyable game in Wantage we made the short journey north to the posh Oxfordshire village of North Leigh to visit a ground none of us had accessed before. The Eynsham Park ground is an absolute beauty in a rural setting within the grounds of Eynsham House, bordered by classic parkland studded with venerable old oak trees.  The approach is along a wooded lane then across a cricket field to a football pitch well-enclosed by wooden fencing.  Two vintage turnstiles lead into a ground which slopes sharply downhill to the parkland beyond.  Behind the near goal is a covered standing area, which was formerly the seated stand and a few individual seats remain for those regulars who still feel more comfortable sitting here.  At this end is also an attractive, green-painted, dressing room/tea bar/toilet block.  The west side of the ground is dominated by a new metallic stand from the Arena Seating stable.  This one has three units together in a green colour, providing about 160 seats.  Because of the sloping nature of the pitch it is built up on a high base at one end and accessed by steps.  The far end and east side has hard standing and a rail.  North Leigh have ambitions of progressing to a higher league and indeed feel aggrieved not to have benefited from the fallout resulting from Slimbridge’s demise.  They may be ‘just’ a village club, but they are certainly progressive. North Leigh looked good from the off and we were soon peering into our programmes to see who was the big fella up front who was so dominant.  Ah yes, Chris Allen, formerly of Nottingham Forest and Oxford United and now, conveniently, living in the village – no doubt he walked to the game.  With that sort of firepower it was no surprise to see goals popping in at regular intervals and it would be no exaggeration to say that North Leigh could have won by a considerably higher margin.  Good entertainment for the crowd of 80-plus, which included a number of other strays from the Hellenic Hop. A reasonable match programme was included with the entry price.  There is no clubhouse here as such, although we found the nearby Woodman pub provided a more than satisfactory liquid lunch.

contributed on 28/08/07