Huddersfield Town boss Peter Jackson is optimistic ahead of tomorrow evening’s Carling Cup second round match against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, and believes his team can do well.
The Terriers are languishing in 17th place in the third division with only two wins from nine matches – however their progress into the second round of the Cup came courtesy of defeat over one of our fellow first division teams – Derby County, and they’ve already beaten Sunderland recently, securing a 2-0 win during the Lads’ pre-season tour.
Jackson told the Terriers’ official website today, “We have already overcome a first division side in Derby County and have beaten Sunderland in pre-season, so everyone is looking forward to it.
“There is no pressure on us tomorrow night. We are a third division club, going to one of the biggest clubs in the first division. They will have something to prove having lost here pre-season.
For striker Marcus Stewart, it’s a match against the club he played for for three-and-a-half years, until February 2000. Huddersfield signed Stewart in the summer of 1996 for £1.2m and he scored 68 times for them in 160 appearances and the Huddersfield boss acknowledges his defenders will have their work cut out trying to keep Stewart at bay.
“It’s obviously a big game for Marcus – this will be his first real competitive game against his former club and he will want to do well. It will be a tough job to keep him out.”
Huddersfield released a former Sunderland favourite Martin Scott from their squad in the summer, to Northampton Town on a free transfer. Scotty scored 29 times for the Terriers in 84 appearances, and since going to Sixfields has already scored three times in nine appearances for the Cobblers.