Collins believes that Colclough will only get better once he has 100% match fitness.

First team coach James Collins believes there is still more to come from the club’s potential match winner Ryan Colclough. The Stoke-on-Trent born forward has been arguably our top performer this season, opening his goal scoring account in the 3-3 home draw with Bury and his form has been a major plus point after he missed almost 18 months of football through injury.

Colclough is still working on his overall match fitness after being out for such a long period with a hernia and hip problem, but Collins believes that once he is 100% match fit, he will only become more of a threat to opposition defences.

Ahead of this weekend’s trip to Shrewsbury, Collins told crewealex.net: “Ryan has been terrific for us this season and the good thing is that there is even more potential to come from him.

“He knows he can improve his decision making at times and some of that comes with fatigue in the closing stages of games because we have to remember that he has been out for a long time.

“Once he becomes match fitter, and he is not far off that now after starting the last few games for us, then he is only to become more of a threat for us.

“I’ve had a chat with him and told him that once he has that real match fitness that only comes from playing the games, then he is going to cause some real damage in those last 20 minutes or so.

“At the moment when the opposition defenders are tired, he is getting a bit tired himself because he has missed a lot of football.

James added: “Soon that level of fitness will come and once it does he is going to be even better. “