Chris Hutchings' hopes for starlet

Walsall boss Chris Hutchings has revealed he has "high hopes" for Saddlers starlet Jamie Paterson who stands by for his full debut.

Paterson could be handed his first start for the Saddlers against Colchester tomorrow if Richard Taundry fails a late fitness test on a knee injury.

The 18-year-old's display as a second-half replacement for Taundry was one of the few positives to come out of Tuesday's Johnstone's Paint Trophy defeat by Chesterfield at the Banks's Stadium and it may have been enough to land him his big chance.

Hutchings believes the Coventry-born player has bags of potential but has warned him he must keep his feet on the ground if he is to make it.

"He has plenty of potential," said the Walsall boss. "We have to nurture him and make sure we get the best out of him.

"I was only going to play Jon Macken for 45 minutes but with Taundry getting injured we had to put Patty on earlier than we anticipated.

"Looking at the bench, we had three 18-year-olds and two 21-year-olds. Our lack of strength in depth with the boys we have out could hit us.

"That's why we signed him. In pre-season games he got on. I got him minutes on the pitch as much as I could against some very good opposition.

"It's a matter of him taking on what he's been taught. He is a striker but he can play wide right and then we dropped him in the hole. He has got ability and he is easy on the eye and scores goals.

"He is a lad we have high hopes for but then you can have high hopes for a lot of young lads, it's whether they take it on board and keep progressing as everyone has to."

Hutchings intends to use the youngster sparingly and insists throwing him in at the deep end could do him more harm than good.

He added: "People and fans alike can say we should be playing him but it's knowing when to play him, when to rest him and bring him out. You can put too much pressure on young lads.

"When they don't perform well it can have an adverse effect and then they lose confidence and it can go the other way. You have to be careful.

"His attitude will always be good. If their attitudes aren't right then they won't be at the football club. It's a two-way thing.

"We've heard loads of times about players having fantastic ability, but for whatever reason they haven't made it whether it was dedication, lack of improvement or outside interests."

Hutchings has demanded a response following the midweek disappointment against the Spireites.

He continued: "We are disappointed but we have a league game coming up so we have to dust ourselves down and get on with it.

"That's football, and many clubs like ourselves are in the same position. The cup games have been disappointing.

"Tranmere, I felt, we should have won the game but we didn't - and sometimes that happens. The other night we didn't start very well.

"That gave them a bit more confidence and for 45 minutes then we were a little bit off the pace.

"I thought second-half we took it to them and had a lot more urgency about our play.

"We had experienced players out on Tuesday night but one or two of them didn't perform to their maximum.

"It's not always about experience, it's about having a go and doing the right things at the right times."

The Us sit just a place above the Saddlers in ninth position, by virtue of a single goal.

Like Hutchings' team, John Ward's men have won two and lost two of their opening four games, although they are yet to pick up a point away on their travels.

"We are 10th in the league and we have to look to build on that against a Colchester side who are just above us," he said.

"They are a decent side. John has taken over and will want to stamp his authority on them after Aidy Boothroyd went to Coventry.

"His teams are always well organised, he has some decent players, he changes formation so it will be interesting to see what they do."

"He's someone I've come across quite a few times. He's a nice fellow. We get on well but, it's always the same, for 90 minutes we're at each others' throats.

"It goes without saying it's going to be tough. We've always had good but difficult games against them, tomorrow will be no different.

"Hopefully we can keep a clean sheet and then if we get chances at the other end we have to take them."

Darren Byfield (Achilles) returns to contention after being sidelined in recent weeks, while Oliver Lancashire is available after recovering from the stomach upset which forced him off on Tuesday.

Lancashire could find himself on the bench, however, with Clayton McDonald pressing for a return to the heart of the defence alongside Manny Smith.

Alex Nicholls is suspended for the visit of the Us, while Will Grigg is away on international duty.

Steve Jones (ankle) again misses out but the ex-Burnley man could return to training in the latter part of next week.

By Brendan McLoughlin