Chris Hutchings today challenged his young stars to follow Darryl Westlake into the Walsall first team.

Right-back Westlake has impressed since making his debut against Southend two weeks ago and has kept the experienced Rhys Weston on the bench.

Fellow first year professionals Will Grigg and Sam Adkins have performed a watching brief and now Saddlers chief Hutchings has called on them to step up.

He said: “I am pleased with the young lads we have here and they showed in pre-season what they can do.

“It is up to them to step up to the mantle now and show the older players what they can do to try and get a starting place – that’s what competition in the squad is all about.”

The duo could get a run-out against Bury in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy on Tuesday and Hutchings says his team need a performance to make sure they keep attracting fans to the Banks’s Stadium.

He said: “We are in the shadows of four big Midland clubs so that makes life difficult but it’s up to us to make sure the Walsall public come and watch us.”