Walsall boss Chris Hutchings has tipped winger Matt Richards to grow in strength after netting his first goal for the club against Stockport at the Banks’s Stadium.

The former Ipswich wide man opened his account with a stunning free-kick in the 2-0 victory over the Hatters on Saturday.

Hutchings reckons Richards, who has been criticised by a section of Saddlers fans, will take confidence from the strike.

The manager said: “Matty did very well on and off the ball, won headers, won tackles, got balls in the box and created things and that goal will give him a lot of confidence as well.

“I was delighted for Matty and I think there is more to come from him. He was on the front foot and looking to set up things and be confident. Once you start scoring you become confident and certain things you try come off whereas before they might not have.

“He might have had another too and we often say it might be a set-piece that gets you back into a game so we were delighted.”

Saddlers goalkeeper Clayton Ince has insisted Stockport should not have been given a penalty on Saturday.

The Hatters appealed for a spot-kick when Peter Thompson crashed down under Ince’s second-half challenge.

But the keeper said: “I think the referee got it right but with how football is going now, players diving about all over the place, it’s 50-50 whether the referee gets it right.

“Everybody has their opinion and when players go for the ball they genuinely go for the ball. It’s just that one or two try to confuse the referee by putting in a pretty dive.

“I got the ball on Saturday and the referee made the right decision. It was a bit wet and a bit heavy and he knew people would slip and fall, so it’s up to him to decide whether it was genuine.”