Charlie Colkett will be sidelined for several weeks due a hamstring injury.

Manager Lee Bell has reported that the midfielder, who limped off after striking a brilliant winner against Tranmere Rovers on New Year’s Day, faces a period in the treatment room.

He said: “Charlie is going to be missing for a few weeks with his hamstring, we were hoping the outlook would be better than it has turned out to be.”

The news is a blow for Crewe Alexandra as well as the former Chelsea youth, who has been unlucky with injuries since signing in the summer.

Colkett has been restricted to just 10 appearances for the club, after suffering a more serious hamstring injury at Grimsby in August, which kept him out until early November.

Meanwhile, defender Billy Sass-Davies is carefully managing an ankle injury to ensure he is available for matchdays.

Courtney Baker-Richardson (hamstring), Christopher Long (ankle) and Zac Williams (hamstring) are working hard but are still some way off a first-team return.