Former Oxford United striker Aaron Woodley has joined Abingdon United from Banbury United.

Woodley, who turns 20 tomorrow, signed for The Puritans this season after being released by the U’s in May, having been on loan at Oxford City.

Manager Richie Bourne was thrilled to snap-up the young striker, who lives in Abingdon.

“I am absolutely delighted to get him,” he said.

“I have been chasing him all summer, and obviously the lad wanted to play at a higher level. Things have not worked out there with the change of manager, and there was the chance for us to step in.”

Woodley will come into the starting line-up to face Bridgwater Town in Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West at Northcourt Road tomorrow.

He is joined in the squad by midfielder Tom Melledew, who is back at Abingdon for a third spell after rejoining from Thatcham Town.

“It is great to get him back,” added Bourne. “He will add some big competition in the middle of the park.”

Abingdon are also boosted by the return of Ben Whitehead from an ankle injury. Manager Mark Gee wants to see his North Leigh side get back on track when they visit Taunton Town.

The west Oxfordshire outfit were knocked out of the FA Cup 2-1 at Yate Town on Saturday, before squandering a 3-1 lead to go out of the FA Carlsberg Trophy 4-3 at Sholing Sports on Wednesday.

Gee said: “We showed a few bad habits of the high-scoring games, which we had last year.

“We want to get back to where we were three or four games ago when we beat Havant and Godalming. We know we are capable of that.”

Gee names an unchanged squad with Kieran Sanders out for two weeks after suffering a hairline fracture to an ankle in the defeat at Yate.

TOMORROW’S SQUADS

Abingdon Utd (v Bridgwater Tn, home): from Durrant, Baker, Crudup, Carnell, Halliday, Biddle, Tucker, Young, Self, Romeo, Nowell, Evans, Whitehead, Riccio, Woodley, Melledew, Butler, Christodoulou.

North Leigh (v Taunton Tn, away): from Warrell, Hole, Franklin, Caton, Hopkins, Turk, Clarke, Alexis, Coyle, Else, Mills, Deabill, Organ, Westlake.