Boss says duo may have impact from the bench during run-in

Although youngsters Ryan Colclough and Max Clayton are making significant progress in regards to their long-term absences, boss Steve Davis says he would have to take a ‘calculated risk’ if he was to include them in his team before the end of the season.

Clayton is making great strides after fracturing his ankle during our FA Cup replay with Wycombe Wanderers back in November while Colclough has not featured since that month after suffering with hernia trouble for much of the season.

Steve told the club’s official web-site: “We have been encouraged by their progress but they are still in the rehabilitation stage and have not joined the group again yet. They are kicking balls again and have been working hard on their fitness, but we will still have to be a careful with them because they have been out for months now.

“It is difficult for them because we only have five games left and the Under-21 season is drawing to a close as well, so they won’t be able to play any games to work on their match fitness. There is that fitness issue with them because they have missed a lot of football. They will need some time and it would have to be a calculated risk to use them.

“With the games running out, it maybe that we would have to use them as impact substitutes. They are more than capable of coming back and having an impact, perhaps that will have to be from the bench but when that will be is still unclear.”