OXFORD City have signed up Nick Townsend, a teenage goalkeeper from Birmingham City, following the decision of Wycombe Wanderers to permanently recall Matt Ingram.

The 19-year-old Ingram has starred for City in their first season in Blue Square Bet North, after signing on loan from the Chairboys at the start of the campaign.

But with Spurs recalling the npower League Two club’s regular keeper Jordan Archer, Ingram will now be first-choice at Adams Park.

“Matt’s ready for League Two,” said City boss Mike Ford, who originally thought he was losing Ingram for just this weekend, when Archer was called up for Scotland Under 21s.

“We’ve been very lucky with our keepers recently and Matt’s right up there and should have a bright future,” added Ford.

Townsend, 18, who joins on loan until the end of the season, was recommended to Ford by former Oxford United manager Malcolm Crosby, who is now Birmingham City’s chief scout.

The youngster has yet to play any first-team games for the Blues.

“Although young Juan Martin is doing a good job for Oxford City Nomads, we thought we needed to bring in another keeper,” said Ford, who had not seen Townsend before he turned out for City in their 1-0 win over Oxford University in the Town v Gown  clash on Wednesday night.

He will be kept busy, as City have 12 league games to play, starting with tomorrow’s trip to struggling Colwyn Bay.

“Because we’ve lost so many games to the weather, we’ve slipped down the table,” said Ford.

“The only way to move back up is to play some games and pick up some points.”

Apart from the keeper, Ford names an unchanged squad from that selected for last week’s two games against Bradford Park Avenue, both of which were postponed, although striker Steve Basham is close to a recall after injury.

Oxford City (v Colwyn Bay, away): from Townsend, Stonehouse, Willmott, Learoyd, Stanley, Benjamin, Pond, McNish, Barcelos, Holgate, Cook, Bell, Malone, Mulvany, Gunn, McEachran.