DAVID CUFFLEY David Marshall goes into Carling Cup action for Norwich City tonight buoyed by a recall to international duty. The 22-year-old goalkeeper’s preparations for the first round tie at home to Barnet (7.45pm) were given an added boost when he was named in Alex McLeish’s squad for the friendly against South Africa at Aberdeen next week.

DAVID CUFFLEY

David Marshall goes into Carling Cup action for Norwich City tonight buoyed by a recall to international duty.

The 22-year-old goalkeeper's preparations for the first round tie at home to Barnet (7.45pm) were given an added boost when he was named in Alex McLeish's squad for the friendly against South Africa at Aberdeen a week tomorrow.

Marshall, who has two full caps for his country, completes an East Anglian double with Ipswich Town's new 'keeper, Neil Alexander, also called up to the squad along with Sunderland's Craig Gordon, and Allan McGregor of Rangers.

Tonight brings Marshall's first competitive appearance at Carrow Road since, almost six months to the day, he helped the Canaries to a 3-2 FA Cup fourth round replay victory over Blackpool.

But he's hoping this particular cup encounter with lower division opposition will be less of a struggle than their extra-time success over the Tangerines back in February.

He said: "Barnet will be tough and they will set their stall out. It's a massive game for them, so we know how difficult it will be but I'm used to being the favourite. We should be winning.

"Especially with the home crowd, as long as we concentrate 100 per cent, it shouldn't be a problem."

The tie must be settled tonight, which could involve extra time and penalties, but Marshall warned: "The last thing we want is an extra half-hour."

While Marshall kept a clean sheet in City's Coca-Cola Championship opener at Preston on Saturday, clubmate Joe Lewis was doing the same on loan at Morecambe - by happy coincidence, against Barnet - and can perhaps pass on a few ideas about what to expect.

Said Marshall: "I think we'll see much the same from Barnet as at Preston in terms of how physical they'll be, in terms of the corners.

"But being at home, we should be attacking more and we should have the quality to get through this game."

As for going further in the competition, he argued: "It just depends on your draw. I don't think the big boys come in until the third round, so I hope we can concentrate 100 per cent tonight and get through. We'll just take each game as it comes. It's a bonus, how well you do in the Cup. I think the league is the main thing."

Marshall felt he should have had better protection from referee Paul Taylor at Deepdale - and argued that Preston's Darren Carter was lucky to stay on the field after some robust challenges from corners.

He said: "The referee usually gives you one, maybe two decisions a half, even if it's not a foul, just to get them to stop it. I think he gave one foul on me in the whole game. He could have been a bit better that way.

"I think the boy Carter was a bit lucky not to be sent off as well. We managed to keep a clean sheet, that was the main thing, but I thought he got away with a lot of fouls in the second half.

"Hopefully that game was a one-off. I don't mind a challenge but I think there were at least three or four where he could have given a foul. But we knew that was going to be the way Preston would play with the bigger boys up front and I think we handled it pretty well."