Teenage striker Jack Marriott has jumped straight above Paul Taylor in the Ipswich Town strikers’ pecking order following his recall from non-league side Woking.

Mick McCarthy moved quickly to bring the 19-year-old back to Portman Road yesterday after injury set-backs for David McGoldrick and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.

And the Blues boss says the academy product – who scored 12 goals to help the Cards move away from the Skrill Premier relegation zone – could well play a part in Town’s push for the Championship play-off places over the remaining four games.

“Didz (McGoldrick) needs more surgery on his knee unfortunately so he won’t be back until the start of next season, while Sylvan has got a tight hamstring again,” revealed McCarthy.

“Paul Taylor hasn’t really been part of the squad, so I’ve brought Jack back. He’s been scoring his goals at Woking, he’s more match sharp than Paul Taylor or Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, so I’ve brought him back to be in contention.”

Daryl Murphy is playing as the lone striker for Ipswich at present, with Crystal Palace loanee Jonny Williams in the No.10 role just behind him. Frank Nouble and Ebanks-Blake have been coming on as impact subs, though the latter – out-of-contract in the summer – has struggled to find full fitness following his return from a long-term injury.

Taylor was loaned back to former side Peterborough earlier in the campaign and has made just seven league starts for Town since arriving in a £1.5m deal 20 months ago.

The 26-year-old – who hasn’t even been on the bench for the last six games – still has a year left on his contract.

Marriott, a prolific goalscorer at youth and reserve team level for Ipswich, was handed his first team debut as a sub against Burnley on the final day of last season and has impressed during his two spells at Woking (a brief switch to League One side Gillingham in between).

Just goal difference keeps Ipswich outside of the Championship play-off places heading into the final four games of the campaign.

McCarthy’s men play at Watford tomorrow before hosting closely-placed rivals Bournemouth on Easter Monday.