Scott Marshall heaped praise on a young Charlton side after a comprehensive 3-0 win at home to Gillingham in the Papa John’s Trophy.
Ben Garner started eight Charlton academy graduates and while Aaron Henry and Miles Leaburn found the net, the whole team contributed to the convincing victory.
Speaking after the game Assistant Coach Marshall told CharltonTV: "It was really pleasing in terms of our style of play. It was great to see the young lads have that understanding and that's great credit to their development in the academy coming through. They've gone and stepped onto the next step of senior football and produced a great performance and got a win as well.
"There was a sprinkling of senior lads in there as well and that helps. They've done their bit by helping with the understanding, managing the lads next to them and coaching them on the field as well. We can't forget the senior performances out there as well tonight which were really pleasing. All-round it was a really good night for everyone involved."
Garner handed full debuts to Harris O’Connor and Daniel Kanu and Marshall was impressed with what he saw.
He told the local press: “There were some good deliveries coming in [from the right by O’Connor] and it was good to see the young lads trying to get on the end of them too. Harris did well today, as a number of them did.
“Daniel has done well. He wants to learn, he’s a great personality, he’s a good guy to have around and he’s really keen to learn. He showed some great stuff, he’s always in and around things in the box when it’s bobbling around. Every time the keeper makes a save and it comes out a little bit, you know Daniel is not going to be too far away. It was good to see him putting pressure on some of their defenders.”
Marshall worked with midfielder Jack Payne at Swindon Town last season, who was handed the captain’s armband for the tie. Payne repaid that faith with two assists.
“I thought Payney did well tonight,” Marshall explained. “He took up some good positions and he knows a lot of things that we talked about from last season as well. He manages and coaches that to other players as well. He’s a great influence on others around. He’ll get stronger and stronger for us.”
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