Darren Patterson has suffered a blow after Didcot Town keeper Michael Watkins (pictured) rejected a move to Oxford United.

U's boss Patterson wanted the 23-year-old former Hayes stopper as No 2 to Billy Turley after some impressive displays for the Southern League side.

However, Watkins, who is based in Reading where he works in insurance, turned him down.

Didcot boss Stuart Peace said Watkins told him that the money that was offered by United was less than he was earning in his current job.

"He has turned down the offer and the deal is dead as far as I am concerned," said Peace.

"He's staying with us for the foreseesable future. We are now planning to sign him on a contract to stop all this speculation.

"I'm delighted he is staying. He wants to stay - he played Saturday and he's playing tonight (away at Gosport).

"I am a lot happier. This has been going on for weeks and it had an unsettling effect on the team.

"I was looking at other keepers to replace him in case he went, but you can't get people to come here if no one knows what is happening.

"I needed to know which way or the other."