Huddersfield Town head coach Liam Manning's admission regarding Wigan Athletic loanee Joe Taylor

Town sanctioned Taylor's loan move in mid-January, with the big-money forward in need of regular game-time.

Circumstances subsequently proved fateful for the Terriers, with Alfie May copping a four-match league ban and Bojan Radulovic picking up a hamstring injury - leaving Town with reduced options.

May's return, allied to the deadline-day signings of Ryan Hardie and Bobby Wales has strengthened Manning's hand again although Taylor's fine form has led to bittersweet emotions.

Taylor has scored six times in nine appearances for the Latics, but is ineligible this weekend.

Manning, whose side occupy the final League One play-off spot, said: "I spoke to Joe on the phone a few weeks ago.

"I thought it was really important for him to know that I was going to track him and keep an eye on him. I said: ‘look, go and show what you can do, go and perform’.

"I'm really pleased for him, first and foremost, to go out and to do what he's done.

"For us, it's a real frustration that we haven't got him. There's an element of a positive side where he's doing well, but he's ours in the future still.

"I think, for any front player, when they're scoring goals, they're at their most confident. It would be great for Joe; at least he can't play at the weekend.

"Beyond that, I hope he does well for him personally, but also for us when he comes back in the summer."

Town's free midweek has afforded them precious time to boost Hardie's fitness levels, after minimal time training with the first-team ahead of recent bench appearances against Barnsley and Doncaster Rovers.

The Scot scored his first goal in last weekend's win over the Reds.

On Hardie, recently recovered from a knee injury, Manning said: "Pretty much the half he played alone will be really good in terms of building up some of his fitness, conditioning and match sharpness. He's been on the grass this week and moving in the right direction."