Manny Smith is up for the battle

Manny Smith today shrugged off an injury scare and insisted he wants to play a key role in Walsall's survival battle.

The defender limped out of the reserves' 2-0 defeat to Derby yesterday with a groin problem but declared himself fit for Saturday's crunch visit of Bournemouth.

Smith has been sidelined by the form of Oliver Lancashire and Andy Butler and admitted he has no complaints but wants to help keep the Saddlers up.

He said: "They've been excellent, I can't fault them and I have to be ready to back them up.

"Sometimes when results are not going your way something has to change and it's all about points now.

"You never know when you could be needed, anything could happen tomorrow and you could be in the team on Saturday.

"Everyone wants to play their part and be involved to try to keep us up. It's a crucial part of the season where people start dropping points but we're four games unbeaten, ready to kick on and everyone wants to be involved."

And Smith admitted his spell on the sidelines, he last played in the 2-1 defeat at Exeter three weeks ago, has helped him.

He said: "When you come out for a bit, you want to get on the pitch and when you do get a chance you're going to give everything. It's good from the outside looking in."

The 22-year-old played 55 minutes of the Totesport.com League Cup clash with the Rams at the Banks's Stadium before limping off to replaced by Tom Hayes. But he insisted he will be available for Saturday's visit of the Cherries

"It's OK, it was a little bit of a groin strain so I just came off, it's alright. Everything's fine, I'll be training on Friday," he said.

"It's always good to get a little run out, it would have been nice to have 90 minutes but some of the lads needed it and it's always good to play good opposition."