DAVID Flitcroft has no doubt Harry Smith is more than capable of spearheading Swindon Town’s attack as he prepares to fill Luke Norris’ boots at Norwich City in the Carabao Cup tomorrow evening.

Norris won the pre-season duel for the target man role in the Town side and repaid his manager with the team’s first goal of the campaign during Saturday’s 2-1 win at Carlisle in their League Two opener.

However, he suffered an injury in the process of scoring, dislocating a shoulder in an awkward fall and had to be immediately withdrawn.

Smith was sent on in his place and the loan signing from Millwall showed his appetite for goal by finding the back of the net at Brunton Park too, only to see it chalked off for offside.

This season marks just the second for Smith in professional football, having signed for Millwall from Isthmian League side Folkestone Invicta 12 months ago, and Flitcroft thinks he has the raw attributes to become a success at Town.

“He is a big boy, he is six foot seven but my job this season is to make sure we build on that and we make him play his size and he understands what his function is on the pitch,” said Flitcroft.

“He is still very, very young in professional football, he was welding a few years ago. He needs to be taught certain lines and body shapes and how to dominate players with his size.

“We saw from his goal, he does want to score goals. I think it was offside, I don’t think it was for a foul, but he was there and he was anticipating.

“We have got to look to keep improving him and we will do, he knows he is in a good place.

“Luke Norris has edged it over the pre-season and I said that to Harry. It was a fight but Luke has got the starting place.

“But people read too much into a starting place, it’s where you finish and in the squad on Saturday, everyone came on and made an impact.”

An ankle issue denied Donal McDermott the chance of a Town debut at Carlisle, with the winger having followed fellow new recruit Kyle Knoyle in picking up a training ground injury.

Although the 27-year-old’s condition has improved quickly, Flitcroft is cautious about rushing him back into action too quickly.

“His foot got caught in the turf and just as he’s twisted, he has just twisted his ligament,” explained Flitcroft.

“We have had a good response. We left Chris Neville (performance coach) behind on Saturday to work with Donal because he is important to what we are doing.

“On Saturday morning, he was pain free in the work he had done so I am delighted with that.

“It’s a ligament sprain so we are not too sure on the timescale but it is good news in what we have had. He is on the mend.”

JOIN ADVERSPORT FOR MATCHDAY LIVE FROM TOWN'S CARABAO CUP TIE AT NORWICH TOMORROW NIGHT AT SWINDONADVERTISER.CO.UK/SPORT