Former Oxford United midfielder Paul Powell has revealed a break from the game helped him to rediscover his spark - and now he wants to fire Didcot Town to promotion.

Last month, boss Stuart Peace told Powell that he was unlikely to play for the British Gas Business Southern League Division 1 South & West club due to 'lack of commitment' to the Railwaymen.

The 29-year-old then joined Hellenic League side Hungerford, but he failed to settle and after clear-the-air talks with Peace, Powell was given another chance. Since then the talented midfielder has not looked back.

He scored a hat-trick in 16 minutes after coming on as substitute in their 5-0 thrashing of Newport Isle of Wight.

And the Wallingford-born player was on the mark again when he scored the last-gasp equaliser in their 2-2 draw against Paulton Rovers.

"I had a bit of a break away from football, but I realised how much I missed it and signed for Hungerford," said Powell.

"I have really enjoyed it since I came back to Didcot. I know our last couple of games have been a bit of a nightmare, but we still have to be positive about promotion.

"I know it's looking more like the play-offs. We had a bit of a chat with the manager after our defeat against Abingdon United.

"But we've now got to get ourselves up for the next game and try to improve."

Powell was one of a crop of talented Oxford United youngsters who worked their way up from the youth side before realising their dream of playing in the first team.

He made his full debut as a 17-year-old against Chesterfield in January 1996 while Denis Smith was in charge.

A string of impressive performances saw Powell earn a long-term contract and attract interest from bigger clubs.

He flourished under boss Malcolm Shotton, making more than 40 appearances for the U's in the 1998-99 season.

Powell was at Oxford when the U's went so close to knocking Chelsea out of the FA Cup in 1999.

Dean Windass headed United in front only for Chelsea to equalise with a controversial late penalty. United lost the fourth-round replay 4-2.

It was under Smith that Powell really blossomed, virtually single-handedly saving the U's from relegation in the 1999-2000 season, scoring 12 goals as they stayed up by a point.

Powell, who made 203 league and cup appearances for the U's, scoring 17 goals, later rejected chances to join Bradford and West Brom, when Denis Smith was at The Hawthorns.

Newcastle's assistant manager, Terry McDermott, was reportedly due to watch him, only for Powell to rupture a cruciate ligament in his right knee in a challenge during their 3-2 defeat at Walsall in September 2000.

The fans' favourite left the U's in 2003, ending a 12-year association with the club, when he was released by boss Ian Atkins.

When it emerged he was not going to be offered a new deal, Powell said at the time: "To be honest, if the club were to offer me a new deal on less money, I'd turn it down anyway because nobody likes to spend their time playing in the reserves and sitting in the stands.

"It's obviously disappointing as I'm a local lad, but I understand that managers have to make decisions, and I just have to go along with it.

"I got dejected earlier in the season when I came into the side for a few games, scored a couple of goals and did well, but then was completely out of the squad again."

He later joined Tamworth before then Didcot manager Pete Foley brought him to Loop Meadow Stadium at the start of the 2003-4 campaign.

He was instrumental in their FA Vase victory in 2005 and the following season helped Didcot lift the Hellenic League title for the first time in 52 years as they were promoted to the Southern League for the first time in their history.

Powell says he is really enjoying life back at Didcot and admits he has no regrets about giving up the professional game.

"I don't really miss it," he said.

"I did have some great times there, but the last couple of years I didn't enjoy my football.

"As we dropped through the divisions, my football was suffering more and more.

"There were a couple of managers that I didn't agree with. But Denis Smith and Malcolm Shotton brought the best out of me.

"The type of football the other managers wanted me to play didn't suit my game.

"They tried to bring in other ideas which didn't work. Not a lot of football was being played."