No bitterness amongst the forward line is key for Hatters

Hatters striker Jack Marriott believes that the camaraderie between the forwards at the club is a huge boost for the club going into the League Two play-offs.
Jack Marriott celebrates his goal against MorecambeJack Marriott celebrates his goal against Morecambe
Jack Marriott celebrates his goal against Morecambe

The 22-year-old has had to play second fiddle to the likes of Danny Hylton and Isaac Vassell during the second half of the season, with Ollie Palmer also preferred in recent weeks.

However, Marriott hasn’t let it affect him and gave boss Nathan Jones another nudge to his own claims for a first team berth with a late double from the bench in the 3-1 win over Morecambe on Saturday.

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The striker said: “It’s a good problem for him (Jones) going into the play-offs, because all four of us, we’re all playing well, all firing.

“Hylts has obviously been phenomenal all season, Vass has been a terror, an animal, and Ollie Palmer’s come up with assists, a couple of goals, and really thrown his weight about as well.

“What’s best is that all four of us, we all get on very well.

“We’re constantly talking to each other, building each other’s confidence up and that’s good, it’s healthy competition, but as we all get on so well, it’s really good for the group.”

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Fellow forward Isaac Vassell concurred with his team-mate too, saying: “That’s the main thing with the strikers, the gaffer’s tried to keep us all firing and keep us all hungry for our position.

“It’s good because there’s not really a bitterness when someone else scores.

“Sometimes you might find that a bit weird to say, but in this squad we’re all so tight that when someone scores we’re buzzing for them as we all need to be on that level if we need to go somewhere.

“You can’t be bitter and hold a grudge against other players scoring goals.

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“I think that’s such a good thing to have in your squad as we’re all trying to score, all trying to do the best for each other.

“That’s the sort of team ethic you need to win the play-offs, to go into League One.”

Marriott’s two goals against the Shrimps took him to three in his last two appearances from the bench and 12 for the season, as he continued: “I’m feeling good, feeling really confident at the moment.

“It helped from last weeks goal from the bench and I had a good week training, really enjoying myself, really feeling confident and showed it again with another two which I’m really, really pleased about.”

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Town boss Jones admitted Marriott’s blistering form in training had almost won him a place in the side, adding: “He’s been unlucky not to start because after what he came on and did last week and then for the way he’s trained this week, it was a real difficult call.

“But I was very, very conscious about not making too many changes and that was probably why he didn’t start because from what my natural eye tells me, this week, he was going to score.

“He came on, we gave him enough time and he was wonderful, he was a real threat, he looked really sharp, he’s got the bit between his teeth.

“He scores in real spurts and bursts and he seems to be in one of those now and that’s good for me to have that option.

“I’ve got four now who are flying, so we’re in good shape in terms of our front men.

“All four are scoring, Ollie’s contributing, Danny to come back too, so it’s some strikeforce to choose from.”