GOALLESS striker Steven Craig has been urged to “step up to the plate” by Worcester City manager Carl Heeley after returning from a long injury lay-off.

The former Aberdeen and Motherwell frontman made his first appearance in more than three months in Worcester’s 3-1 FA Trophy defeat at York City last weekend.

The 35-year-old has struggled with “various” injuries since joining the Vanarama National League North club in the summer.

But Heeley is confident the “wily old fox”, who has failed to score in seven matches for City, will soon find the net.

Craig made a 23-minute cameo at Bootham Crescent and with Colby Bishop expected to be sidelined for a prolonged period with a knee injury, the Scot is in line to face Gainsborough Trinity at Northolme tomorrow (3pm).

“We are assessing the situation with Colby and I hope he has not got a serious injury,” Heeley said.

“I would like to go and sign (York on-loan strikers) Jon Parkin and Rhys Murphy, but I can’t. “We have only got certain tools we can work with, so I can’t keep signing players.

“Steven has not played for a few months, but he came back on Saturday, so hopefully he can step up to the plate.”

West Lothian-born Craig played for Dumbarton and Forfar Athletic last season after making 69 appearances for Wycombe Wanderers in the Football League. He has also been on the books of Falkirk, Dundee, Livingston, Ross County and Partick Thistle in Scotland.

“He is an experienced player who has scored goals at a much higher level,” Heeley continued.

“He might be in his mid-30s, but it is about getting him minutes and building him up.

“We have not been in a position to do that as he has had various little niggles and he has not been playing injury-free.

“But I thought he showed little glimpses on Saturday. He is a wily old fox and he knows the game.”

With Lee Hughes missing the trip to York through sickness, Worcester suffered a further blow when Bishop was stretchered off on 30 minutes.

Instead of bringing on Craig in place of the 20-year-old, Heeley chose to give forward Jordan Murphy the lone striker role.

“Steven was not fit enough to go on early in the game," Heeley explained.

“He hasn’t played since early September, I could not put him on and expect him to play 60 minutes, so that was the reason we put Jordan Murphy on.”