TOM Winters’s time at Oxford City appears to be over as caretaker-manager Mark Jones continues to overhaul his squad.

The 31-year-old winger will not be involved when City host Hemel Hempstead Town tomorrow in Vanarama National League South after agreeing a one-month loan move to Banbury United.

The Puritans hope to complete the paperwork on a deal in time for tomorrow’s Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division fixture at home to Weymouth.

Winters has found his playing time reduced in recent weeks and Jones said it was in the interests of the player to ply his trade elsewhere.

“He’s not really been playing much lately,” said Jones.

“I just felt it was fairest for him to get out and get some games.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Tommy – he’s a good character and has been a good player over the years.

“He’s obviously frustrated being on the bench and it’s only fair to give him the opportunity to play some football.”

Winters’s place in the squad will instead be taken this weekend by 18-year-old Ezra Forde.

The teenager has joined City after netting 40 times this season for Luton Town Cedars in the National League Youth Alliance Division F.

Jones said: “He’s scored a lot of goals this season and attracted a bit of interest.

“A couple of professional clubs have expressed interest in taking him, so he certainly has a bright future.

“We’ve had him training with us for about six weeks and he’s coped with it fine.

“He’s very quick, very hard-working and I look forward to seeing what he can do.”

Full-back Freddie Grant misses out this weekend as he starts a two-match suspension for collecting ten yellow cards.

Banbury United manager Mike Ford, meanwhile, believes Winters will be a big addition for his side.

The move would bring the duo together for a third time, having previously worked at Brackley Town and Oxford City.

Ford said: “I’ve signed him twice before in my career, so I know all about him and what he can bring to the side.

“Tom’s a Banbury boy, so it’s a good move for him.

“We’ve got a young squad and what Tom will bring is a bit of experience to add to that.

“He’s played in the Conference North and South for the last ten years, so he’s a big player at this level.”

Winger Mark Bell is unavailable, while Jacob Blackstock is away on international duty.

TOMORROW’S SQUADS

Oxford City (v Hemel Hempstead Tn, home): from Hill, Poku, Henderson, Davies, Fleet, Ngathe, Fondop, Louis, Ngamvoulou, Peake-Pijnen, Niate, Khawaja, Anderson, Carvalho, Forde.

Banbury Utd (v Weymouth, home): from Harding, Gunn, White, Nash, Odhiambo, Westbrook, Martin, Browne, Self, McEachran, Sambrook, Rimmer, Davies, McDonagh, Carnell, Humphreys, Ofosu, Smith, Bradbury, Johnson, Keranovic.