Joel Ledgister's fall from grace this season has been highlighted by his transfer yesterday, on a month's loan, to Blue Square South side Hayes & Yeading.

The out-of-favour Oxford United winger was looked upon as an exciting capture when he joined the U's in the summer, on a two-year contract from Southend United.

The 19-year-old, who had impressed Oxford at the start of this year when on loan at Gravesend & Northfleet, even started the first league game of the season, at home to Forest Green.

But a knee ligaments injury set him back, and although he recovered fully, and twice broke back into the starting line-up for a couple of games, in December and then last month, he has struggled to maintain any consistency in his game.

After making just seven starts this campaign, Ledgister has now joined Hayes & Yeading for a month and goes straight into their squad for their Blue Square South game at Fisher Athletic on Saturday.

U's manager Darren Patterson said: "Joel needs to be playing matches and this is a chance to go and get fit, get games and get that sharpness back."

Moving a player out helps Patterson to bring another in. But league regulations stipulate that clubs can only have five loan players on the teamsheet at any one time, and they currently have Michael Howard, Justin Richards, Matt Green and Michael Blackwood, so one more would take them up to their limit.

Patterson would still like to bring in a competitive quality central midfielder, of the same ilk as Gavin Strachan, who trained with them this winter but opted instead to go to Notts County, who were able to offer him double the money that Oxford could.