THE opportunity for regular first-team action was an attraction for Kane Hemmings to leave Oxford United on loan for Mansfield Town.

The 25-year-old has agreed to drop a division to Sky Bet League Two as part of the season-long deal, which could be made permanent at the end of the campaign.

United are also understood to have inserted the option to recall Hemmings in January if required.

The striker signed a three-year deal last summer after joining from Dundee for a fee believed to be in the region of £250,000.

Despite scoring 15 goals in 31 starts he struggled to nail down a place in Michael Appleton’s starting line-up.

And he appeared to have fallen down the pecking order under new boss Pep Clotet in pre-season before picking up a thigh injury, which kept Hemmings out of the matchday squad until last weekend.

The prospect of playing week-in, week-out at Field Mill was an attractive incentive for the former Glasgow Rangers trainee.

He said: “I wanted to come and really be involved in something where I was going to get game time in a successful team and environment like I was last year.”

The move ended a lengthy pursuit by Mansfield to win the race, according to Evans.

He said: “My thanks are extended to Kane’s parent club for the professionalism in which they have dealt with our interest over a period of two to three months.

“I was delighted to learn only yesterday that we would be signing the player, given the interest of six to seven clubs in the Scottish Premier League as well as interest from at least six clubs in League One and numerous in League Two.”

United have brought in Jon Obika and Gino van Kessel this summer who can play as a central striker, while Wes Thomas has recovered from a long-term Achilles injury.

Hemmings’s exit may be seen as a chance to free up room for a new arrival before the transfer deadline day next Thursday.

Premier League clubs tend to make players available for loans late in the window, but when asked on Saturday, Clotet indicated the U’s were unlikely to do any business in that particular market.

He said: “At the minute I think we have a squad that can compete on any pitch and we have a bench that can help turn games around with quality.

“For someone to come in (they would need) really good quality that can help us going forward, because I’m very satisfied with the performance of the players.”