Richards bidding to prove a point

Matt Richards insists he has no regrets over his move to Walsall as he looks to show Leyton Orient what they are missing and continue his ever present run.The midfielder is the only man in the Saddlers' squad to have started every game this season but could have moved to Orient before his summer switch to the West Midlands.

The 24-year-old had a trial at Brisbane Road after Roy Keane released him following seven years at Ipswich.

O's boss Geraint Williams, also a former Ipswich midfielder, invited Richards to east London but he opted for a move to the Saddlers. And with the club he almost joined set to visit the Banks's Stadium tomorrow, Richards is confident he made the right choice. "I trained there for a week or two then I came up here and it worked out even better, I'm definitely in the right place," said Richards, who has made 25 consecutive appearances this season. "I enjoy playing here, I'm happy. Whatever the game we want to win but it would be especially nice to get three points against them."

The game marks the start of the Christmas fixtures for the Saddlers with a trip to Bristol Rovers on Boxing Day before home clashes with Norwich and Charlton.

But boss Hutchings insists he isn't thinking of the crucial triple header.

"If you get three points it's a nice start but if you don't, you put pressure on yourself to get points in other games, we're not looking further ahead than Saturday. We'll come out of that and assess where we are," he said. Steve Jones is the Saddlers' only injury doubt as the nine goal top scorer struggles to overcome a groin injury.

Troy Deeney returns from suspension but skipper Mark Hughes is banned after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in last weekend's 2-1 defeat at Millwall.

Hutchings will have to shuffle his back four for the first time since October, with Jamie Vincent, Rhys Weston and Darryl Westlake all under consideration. "These things are sent to try us and test us so we've got to deal with them," said the boss.