The 28-year-old centre-back was rested for Tuesday’s 2-1 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy defeat at Fleetwood – the first time he has been stood down since returning from damaged cruciate ligaments.

But he was set to go back in the line-up for today’s League One visit of Colchester as under-pressure Jermaine Grandison looks like paying for errors which have cost Town two goals in his last three outings.

Mellon believes patience will be the key to the successful return of Knight-Percival. “I’d say he’s still three months short,” said the boss. “You’d say that eight or nine months for a cruciate ligament injury would be about the recovery rate.

“He’s round about five or six months at the moment, so he’s been doing terrifically well.

“He’s been playing, but we’ve been using him sparingly because after every game it’s heartbreaking to see a big massive ice pack on his knee.”

Mellon admitted yesterday that Town need an experienced leader following the £600,000-plus sale of Connor Goldson to Brighton and praised the efforts of Knight-Percival so far.

“We’ve lost Connor out of the back four and we need the balance ‘Natty’ gives us,” he said. “The cover he gives us has been terrific.”

Meanwhile, Junior Brown has been told his chance has come after scoring a spectacular opener at Fleetwood.

The 26-year-old utility man’s 25-yard strike was his first goal for Town but he has made only eight appearances, starting five times.

But with Mat Sadler an option in a three-man back line, Mellon says Brown is in his thinking.

“Now he has an opportunity,” said the boss. “We always wanted to have a look at him coming back into the team in that wing-back position on Tuesday night.

“He did very well. He’s a good player and is capable of scoring goals like that.

“He’s stepped up a division and is playing in a league which is new for him.

“It’s taken him time to acclimatise, but he’s played some fantastic football at times and the team is learning how to play with him.

“It’s coming together at times and at others it’s breaking down.  But we’re growing and being patient with him.”

Mellon says the former Fleetwood man has been unlucky, adding: “He got injured and lost his place, and the game he came out of the team we won.”