JORDAN Graham has signed for Didcot Town on a month-long youth loan from Oxford United ahead of the Railwaymen’s Division 1 South & West home clash with Larkhall Athletic.

A combination of injuries and unavailability has limited player-manager Andy Ballard’s options so far in the Evo-Stik Southern League.

But he believes the arrival of the 18-year-old midfielder will ease those concerns.

“We needed to bring in a little more quality and Jordan comes here with great recommendations from Oxford United,” said Ballard.

Captain Luke Carnell and defender Jack Longford could make their first appearances of the season after recovering from ankle and shoulder injuries respectively.

Ryan Barney, Alex Woodhouse and Sam Barder all remain sidelined, while Ballard is suspended following his red card in Didcot’s 4-0 win over Winchester City last week.

North Leigh manager John Brough has called on his strikers to pick up from where they left off as they travel to Paulton Rovers.

The Millers demolished Thame United 7-1 in the Emirates FA Cup preliminary round and Brough is hoping they can take that form into the league.

“When you win a game by that scoreline, of course everyone is going to take confidence from it,” he said.

“With the squad we’ve got and the way they played last year, you would expect them to get goals.

“What we’re hoping for this year is that when we have to defend we don’t leak goals at the other end.”

Defender Michael Hopkins could start after returning from Banbury United and Morgan Williams is also expected to feature after a quad injury.

However, Lance Williams remains sidelined with a calf problem.

Midfielder Harvey Scholes and defender Mark Burton could make their first starts when Wantage Town travel to Slimbridge.

Scholes has joined the Alfredians from Thatcham Town, while Burton is expected to complete a move from neighbours Milton United.

Player-manager Stuart Cattell said: “I’ve known Mark for a while and he was really hungry to play in the Southern League.

“He’s been enjoying his football at Milton, but he’s really keen to push himself at a higher level and that’s important for us.

“It’s the same with Harvey, because he’d been in and out a little bit at Thatcham but he was so excited for a new challenge.”

Cattell is unavailable, Elliott Powell (groin) is a doubt and Aaron Oakley is out with an ankle injury, but Harry Halls has recovered from a hamstring injury.

Kidlington are still seeking their first win in Division 1 Central as they travel to AFC Dunstable.

In the Premier Division, Banbury United boss Mike Ford is without midfielder Zac McEachran (knee) for their trip to Hitchin Town.

The Puritans’ superb start to the season was halted with back-to-back defeats to Dunstable Town and Dorchester Town, but Ford has urged his players not to try and force a result this weekend.

“We need to get back to playing with a bit of freedom and just express ourselves,” he said.

“I think last weekend we were so keen to get over the previous week’s defeat that we got a bit anxious about it.

“We treated it as a game we should win and I think we put a little bit of pressure on ourselves and in the end we gifted them two very easy goals.

“The performances have been good in both of those games, so I’m not too concerned.”

TOMORROW’S SQUADS

Banbury Utd (v Hitchin Tn, away): from Harding, White, Lynn, Nash, Westbrook, Gunn, Martin, Janes, Barcelos, Bell, Hopkins, Browne, Howards, Self, Blackstock, Johnson.

Didcot Tn (v Larkhall Ath, home): from Bedwell, Elkins, Organ, Benjamin, Longford, Carnell, Learoyd, Collins, Keeble, Whitehead, Reid, Jones, Powell, Brooks, Tanner, Lovegrove, Graham.

North Leigh (v Paulton Rov, away): from Thompson, Platt, Steedman, Turk, White, Hole, Odhiambo, Osborne-Ricketts, M Woodley, Cook, A Woodley, M Williams, McNish, R James, D James, J Murphy, Seacole, Hopkins.

Wantage Tn (v Slimbridge, away): from Cavanagh, Elliott, McNeil, Glover, Robinson, Halls, Kalakoutis, Hathaway, Francis, Jones, Ferris, Thompson, Butler, Broad, Scholes, Burton.