Video: Saddlers remove the safety catch

The Walsall midfielder found feelings hard to put into words after ending the wait at Southend on Saturday.

In the context of his career, it felt a significant moment.

Much of the time without a goal was spent watching from the sidelines and since returning to action in March, after seven months out with a knee injury, he has unsurprisingly been slow in getting back near the form which saw him named Saddlers player of the year two seasons ago.

A lack of decisiveness was evident in the first half on Saturday when, after receiving a pass from Romaine Sawyers in space 12 yards out, he tamely hit his shot straight at the goalkeeper – a 'backpass' as boss Dean Smith later remarked.

Yet when another chance came the 23-year-old's way in the second half, he buried it. Mantom, like the Saddlers, was playing with an extra swagger.

"That chance in the first half, yes, the safety catch was on," he said. "I could hear Richard O'Kelly's voice from training shouting 'hit the target, hit the target'.

"That was a bit of a pass back but I learned from it and the next chance which came my way I stuck away.

"Goals are important to my game. I got five two years ago, though that was from a deeper role. In this role in the new formation I can get forward more and I end up in the box a lot. There are always going to be chances."

The safety catch analogy is an apt one to describe the team at present. Mantom is not the only player to have found chances more frequent over three games in which the Saddlers have netted seven goals – a mark they took nine games to reach last season.

Added to it all has been an increased sense of purpose in their play and in the dressing room, alluded to by Mantom when he remarked there is a 'totally different feel' at the club this season.Boss Dean Smith can also afford to make changes. Milan Lalkovic and Kieron Morris both impressed in the Capital One Cup win at Nottingham Forest but were left out at Southend.

"You look across and bringing players of that quality on only helps," adds Mantom. "A few years ago we weren't quite that strong and were bringing on young lads who hadn't really played.

"It was more of a gamble but now we have experience and goals there. It's going to be crucial this season because there will be injuries and suspensions.

"Everyone is going to get a chance, the gaffer has said that many times. It is important to keep it going."