Huddersfield boss Michael Duff lauded West Ham loanee Callum Marshall after the teenager claimed a goal and an assist on his debut in a 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over fourth-tier Morecambe.
After a disappointing loan spell at West Brom last season, the 19-year-old dropped another level to join League One Huddersfield on Friday and made a strong first impression.
Duff said: “I thought he showed what he is: he’s infectious, he’s energetic, he’s got quality.
“He’ll be better for the goal because his last loan didn’t work for him but he’s had a start here already and he’s got a goal.
“He’s shown what we brought him in for. He’s a natural goalscorer and goalscorers are goalscorers.
“He’s struggled in the Championship but it’s a big jump from under-23s football to the top end of the Championship for a young lad.
“He got absolutely smashed 10 foot in the air early on and just got up, so he’s a proper Belfast boy, a tough little sod.
“With respect to Cal, he’s not a household name so the players don’t know who he is and now they’ll be like ‘yeah, he’s not bad him’, which creates competition.
“There were lots of positives and good performances. The disappointment is we’ve dominated the second half and not scored another goal.”
Wing-back Jaheim Headley got the opener just 30 seconds in, chesting home the rebound after Harry Burgoyne saved Lasse Sorensen’s shot.
Sorensen provided again after 38 minutes as his low cross from the right found Marshall at the back post, with the striker’s close-range finish sending the Morecambe keeper the wrong way.
More good work from Marshall produced the third five minutes later. He won a challenge out wide, then unselfishly set up Danny Ward to apply a cool finish.
Huddersfield were unable to make it four in the second half despite Morecambe’s Kayden Harrack being dismissed with 15 minutes to go for a second bookable offence.
Substitute Josh Koroma went closest, hitting a post and then having a stoppage-time one-on-one saved.
Morecambe boss Derek Adams said: “We watched Huddersfield beat Peterborough on Saturday and they’re a Championship side playing in League One. It was always going to be difficult.
“The players worked ever so hard to stop the opposition but they’re at a much higher level than we are and have been together for a number of seasons now.
“I don’t think you’ll see worse goals tonight than the three we gave away and that was really poor from us.
“But it’s the second game of the season, we’ve taken in 17 players in this transfer window, and we’ve come away to a team that want to get back into the Championship.”
Interim boss Stephen Frail expects Motherwell to appoint a new manager next week and admits their first job will be to lift the players’ confidence after a 3-0 mauling at home to Ross County.A double from Ronan Hale and Connor Randall’s last-minute strike secured an impressive victory for the Staggies at Fir Park.Defeat sees the Steelmen drop into the bottom half of the Premiership tab...
Mark Hughes heaped praise on goalkeeper Gabe Breeze after Carlisle picked up a vital point in the League Two relegation battle with a goalless draw against in-form Colchester at Brunton Park.Breeze made two excellent saves from Lyle Taylor as the Cumbrians ended a four-game losing run and the former Man City boss was astounded by the 21-year-old’s performance.He said: “The game had som...
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook launched a scathing attack on his play-off hopefuls after they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 at Sky Bet League Two table-toppers Walsall.The Spireites enjoyed a rapid start when Jamie Grimes’ eighth-minute header put them ahead against a wobbling Walsall side, who were winless in five matches with the chasing pack closing in.However, Bim Pepple and Dylan D...
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allayed fears of an injury scare to top scorer Erling Haaland ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.Haaland went down clutching his leg in the latter stages of the champions’ 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was immediately substituted.Losing the Norwegian would be a major blow to ...
Rotherham manager Steve Evans described Thomas Parsons’ performance as “atrocious” after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty from which Reading snatched a 2-1 victory in League One.Reading had led 1-0 at half-time through top scorer Harvey Knibbs but Sam Nombe levelled for Rotherham from a spot-kick in the 57th minute.With the game heading for a draw, Parsons adjudged Mil...
Michael Flynn believes his team can make a charge towards the League Two play-offs places after watching them come from 2-0 down to beat Barrow 3-2 at home.Matty Taylor scored twice before fellow substitute Ashley Hay hit the winner as the Robins continued their perfect home record in 2025.Cheltenham climbed to 13th in the table and sit eight points off seventh-placed Crewe with two games in hand....
Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised Jay Stansfield’s work ethic after he lit up St Andrew’s with the only goal of a 1-0 win to sink play-off chasing Charlton.Stansfield’s 23rd-minute strike stretched City’s lead to nine points ahead of second-placed Wycombe, with Blues boasting a game in hand.Victory was City’s 30th in all competitions as they extended their unbea...
Andoni Iraola refused to get carried away after Bournemouth fans were left dreaming of a potential Champions League adventure following a first league double over south-coast rivals Southampton.Travelling Cherries fans chanted of playing in European football’s premier competition next season after their side soared to fifth spot in the Premier League table thanks to a deserved 3-1 success at...
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup praised his side for fighting back to draw 1-1 at Hull after he demanded “I want to see my football team back”.The Norwich boss had some tough words for his team as they trailed 1-0 at half-time to the relegation-threatened side, including for Kellen Fisher – but the player then delivered the assist for Josh Sargent’s equaliser.The Un...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Jota has a chance of starting against Bayern Munich after scoring and impressing in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United.Jota earned the club’s man-of-the-match award after cutting in from the left and curling home from 18 yards to double the lead given to the hosts by another impressive finish from Callum McGregor.The Portuguese winger has now started two gam...
