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Clayton Ince today pledged to work his way back into Walsall’s goal after admitting boss Chris Hutchings was right to leave him out.

Ince admitted his own “howlers” had cost him his place in the Saddlers starting line-up at Southampton, where youngster Rene Gilmartin was handed his latest chance to shine.

But the veteran Trinidad and Tobago international has promised to support Gilmartin while working hard to reclaim the No. 1 spot.

The 39-year-old said: “The manager makes decisions and we, as players, have to accept them.

“You just have to look at yourself and realise why you have been dropped.

“And then you have to push on.

“The gaffer has just told me to keep myself at a high level.

“I understand his reasons pretty well and I can’t argue with them.

“I had a couple of howlers. I have been in the team for a bit and Rene has been there behind me.

“The manager just wants me to have a good think about the mistakes I have and get myself ready to play again because you never know what could happen to Rene.”

Ince began his bid for a recall with a clean sheet in the reserves against Albion at The Banks’s Stadium last night in a game that also saw Steve Jones and Rhys Weston step up their comeback from injury.

And he admits he must continue performing well to earn a contract beyond the end of the season.

“I just have to do my best in reserve games like last night and it can only been a plus for me to come out of it with a clean sheet and a couple of good saves,” he said.

“I am under contract, we are still in the season and it is important I keep going to the end.

“My contract is up at the end of the season and we will see then what happens next.”

Ince watched from the bench as Walsall crumbled in front of Gilmartin on Saturday with the young Irishman conceding five goals at St Mary’s.

But the veteran has backed his young colleague to learn from the nightmare afternoon.

“We are goalkeepers and if the team performs badly in front of you you can always concede but he did a good job.

“They could have scored a couple more because he made a couple of good saves so it’s not all doom and gloom for him. He will learn from these experiences.”