BURY signed Crewe striker Colin Cramb today and he could step straight into the team for tomorrow's Oxford clash.

The Shakers snapped up the highly-rated 25-year-old on a month's loan this morning after long negotiations with Dario Gradi.

And he looks odds on to start tomorrow, playing alongside Liverpool's Jon Newby in what is a strikeforce for every Shakers fan to savour.

"We're delighted to get him," Bury chairman Terry Robinson told the BEN. "He is here for a month and he is eligible to play tomorrow."

Cramb is a prolific scorer but has fallen out of favour at Gresty Road after a training ground bust up.

Meanwhile, teenage defender Nicky Hill is set to roll straight off Bury's youth team production line and into the first eleven.

Hill, a virtual unknown to the Shakers faithful at the start of the season, is odds-on to make his full league debut for tomorrow's visit of Division Two whipping boys Oxford.

Tthe 19-year-old was outstanding during the second half of last week's 2-1 win at Walsall after replacing the injured Danny Swailes.

And though Swailes, along with namesake Chris, are both battling to be fit for tomorrow's clash, it would be a huge surprise if Hill did not start at sweeper.

"I am certainly not afraid to pick Nicky from the start because I thought he didn't put a foot wrong after he came on last week," agreed Bury boss Andy Preece.

"He looked good and had no problems at all coping with their attacks and that's why we've offered him a two year contract.

"He's a bit like Redders (Steve Redmond) in his style of play, classy but a bit casual at times so he'll have to be careful about that. But he's got a lot of confidence in his own ability and he's got all the attributes to be a very good player.

"There's a possibility that both Chris and Danny Swailes might be fit in time for the Oxford game to play in defence but I won't risk them if they aren't fully fit."

Three points tomorrow will almost certainly dispel any lingering relegation worries and - because the league is so tight - could even propel the Shakers towards the top half of the table.

With Nick Daws out suspended there will be definitely be a new face in midfield and it will be either Martyn Forrest or Jason Jarrett.

"I've not decided which one will start yet but it's a good chance for whoever gets the nod to impress and show what they can do," said Preece. "It would have been nice to have kept an unchanged team from the two wins we've had but because of injuries and suspensions that hasn't been possible."

Forrest looks most likely to start after an impressive performance in the reserves 4-0 win at Tranmere in midweek. The midfielder scored an excellent solo goal and he was joined on the scoresheet by Lutel James and a fit again Paul Barnes, who notched two.

Further good news came in the shape of Darren Bullock, who played a full 90 minutes for the first time since November.

The Shakers will not be signing the unnamed Danish striker on trial at Gigg Lane after he failed to impress in a practice match.