The first piece of transfer activity for Oxford United during the new loan transfer window has seen a player leave the club, with the promise of someone else arriving. Former Southend United winger Joel Ledgister[@player]Ledgister, joel[/@player] has joined the newly formed Conference South outfit Hayes & Yeading for one month, ostensibly to allow the out-of-favour youngster the opportunity for some match practice. The club was formed during the summer from a merger between Hayes FC and Yeading FC, with the first team playing on Hayes' former ground and the reserves playing at Yeading's Warren Stadium. Ledgister is likely to feature against Fisher Athletic on Saturday.

Meanwhile, one player who is already out on loan, striker Rob Duffy[@player]Duffy, rob[/@player], looks like he may have played his last match for United. Duffy is at the Football League's bottom club, Wrexham, and has had his initial one-month loan extended until the end of the season. His first-team chances at the Racecourse have been limited, but Duffy has been knocking them in for the reserves, and is likely to get his chance soon. Both this extension, along with Ledgister's loan, could give Darren Patterson the necessary leeway to bring in another loanee, as he mentioned in his post-match interview on Saturday. With Ledgister departing, however temporarily, and Yemi Odubade suffering from a lapse in form, then it is likely that the player whom Patto has in mind is a right-sided midfielder. Maybe.

Tonight's Conference games produced just one winner, with all the other games either drawn or failing to be completed. Burton Albion moved up to third after beating United's next opponents, Droylsden, 3-0 at the Pirelli. This was the Bloods' seventh consecutive defeat, and they have conceded 21 goals in their last four away games, which means that they remain without a win on the road. League leaders Aldershot were held to a 0-0 draw at home by fifth-placed Cambridge United, which means that United are 14 points adrift of the play-offs, with 15 games remaining. No problem. Second-placed Torquay United were held to a goalless draw at the Wessex by Weymouth, while sixth-placed Exeter City missed the opportunity to enter the play-off zone by conceding a last-minute equaliser to Woking, after having led 2-0. We know how that feels. The big game relegation clash, between fifth-bottom Altrincham and fourth-bottom Farsley Celtic, ended 0-0. The points were also shared at the Shay, where Halifax and York drew 2-2. The game between Histon and Stafford Rangers was abandoned due to fog after an hour, with the score goalless, while the match in Essex between Grays Athletic and Rushden & Diamonds was postponed prior to kick off, also because of fog.