Alex boost as Pixie makes a successful return from hamstring tear.

David Artell has revealed that Harry Pickering came through an hour of the club’s Under-23 fixture at Burnley on Monday unscathed, but the Crewe Alexandra boss says he will proceed cautiously with the talented teenager.

Pickering suffered a hamstring tear away at Colchester United but his rehabilitation has gone smoothly and the former Academy graduate is well ahead of his scheduled return date.

Artell told crewealex.net: “Harry came through the Under-23s fine. He played 60 minutes and that was stretching it for his first game back.

“I’m in no rush to play him because I want him to be absolutely right. He is well ahead of schedule. He is three weeks ahead of where he should be, so we will be as cautious as we can be with him because we don’t want him to have a set-back.

“I don’t want to push him and then lose him again but he is training well and we will see.”