David Artell says that the quick turnaround of games may be too soon to see a return to the squad for club captain George Ray. The club’s central defender has not featured after suffering severe bruising to his hip and back against Morecambe on the opening day of the season.

Ray has missed the club’s last three games, with Perry Ng moving into central defence to partner Eddie Nolan. His absence has seen summer signing Nicky Hunt come into the side at right-back.

Ahead of the mid-week trip to Colchester, the Crewe boss told crewealex.net: “With the turnaround coming quickly with the Colchester game, is much going to change over two days?

“George trained on Saturday morning and we will have a look at him today. When you have been out for two, three weeks, it is not easy to train once or twice and come back into it. We will see how he is and assess if he is fit enough to travel with us.”