Walsall v Port Vale - Match preview
Walsall defender Tom Leak wants to repay the faith shown in him this week as the team prepare for the visit of high-flying Port Vale.
Despite their loss to Bristol Rovers on Easter Monday, local rivals Vale still sit third in the league and are in pole position for automatic promotion.
The Saddlers also tasted defeat at the start of the week, losing 1-0 to Crawley, in a game they deserved more from.
Leak was handed a first start under new boss Michael Flynn and the young defender is now keen to repay that faith in the final three games of the season – starting tomorrow.
“It’s good that they had the faith to put me in and all I can do is try and repay that by giving everything I’ve got every time I step on the pitch,” Leak said.
“It was my first start under the new gaffer and obviously I love playing football, so it’s always a good feeling when I find out that I’m starting.
“It’s just down to me to keep building and improving as a player by playing games and hopefully there’s a few more chances before the end of the season.
“It’s just down to me to work hard in the week, keep working hard every day and try and get into the gaffer’s thoughts.
“That’s all I can do, control what I can control and that is working hard, keep improving, listening to the gaffer and the coaching staff and hope for the opportunities.”
Having only played nine times in all competitions this season, Leak’s chances have been few and far between.
Flynn has handed opportunities to fringe players recently in order to assess the squad ahead of a busy summer.
Sam Perry joined fellow homegrown player Leak by starting on Monday but Flynn has said every player has to earn their chance, and Leak is ready for the challenge.
“It’s never going to come easy, especially as a young lad,” Leak added.
“There’s some really good players in that dressing room and we just have to keep working hard every single day and keep showing the gaffer that we’re willing to improve and get to a level where we can be in his thoughts.
“When the chance comes we have to take them, which I also thought Sam did. That’s all we can keep doing.”
Leak played in the middle of the back three against Crawley, despite mostly being seen on the right side or right-back in his short Walsall career – but the 21-year-old relished the opportunity.
He added: “That’s probably one of my favourite positions in the three. I played there against Northampton and in my four-game run that was probably my best game.
“I’m comfortable there. You have to keep talking to the other two centre-backs and sort my own positioning out. I really enjoy that position.
“I’ve always said it, wherever the gaffer wants me to play I’ll give everything that I can give.
“Whether that’s right-back, left-back or anywhere in that back three, I feel like I’m capable of doing the job.”