York City manager Billy McEwan beat yesterday's transfer deadline to snap up Republic of Ireland Under-21 goalkeeper Stephen Henderson.

The 20-year-old agreed to join the club on a month's loan from Bristol City, whom he joined this summer after two years with Premiership Aston Villa.

Henderson enjoyed a baptism of fire with the Coca-Cola Championship side when he was pitched into his debut in the second-half of Bristol City's season opener against Queens Park Rangers at Ashton Gate after first-choice Adriano Basso suffered a thigh injury. The Robins thought they had the points won when Scott Murray put them in front in the first minute of stoppage-time, but just over a minute later Henderson was beaten by a header from QPR's Damien Stewart for a 2-2 draw.

That was Henderson's sole appearance this year, but he is likely to get a bigger taste of the action with City as regular number one Tom Evans is likely to be axed after a poor start to the Blue Square Premier campaign.

Had McEwan not acted to get another goalkeeper in, he would have been faced with plunging 18-year-old Carl Pentney into the fray for City's next match at home to Altrincham on Tuesday night. It looks now as if Henderson will be the man for that task.

Henderson's Ashton Gate employers have imposed a 24-hour recall clause on the month's loan for the Dublin-born shot-stopper, who is eager to get more senior games under his belt.

Declared Robins' boss Gary Johnson: "He'll go and get some games. He's had his carrot of playing for the first team and enjoyed it, now he can go and get some more first-team experience at York."