Grigg was released by Birmingham City as a schoolboy

Walsall's teenage striker Will Grigg says his first professional goal for the club was well overdue.

The Northern Ireland under-21 player turned home an Alex Nicholls cross during the Saddlers' 2-2 draw at League One rivals Bristol Rovers on Tuesday.

"It's a great ball, I've just got the easy job of tapping it in," the 19-year-old told BBC WM.

"It's a great confidence lift to get my first goal, I've had a few appearances now and I was getting closer."

Grigg was released by Birmingham City as a youngster before being scouted by Walsall on a special course at Solihull Technical College.

It's like a new fresh start and we know we've nothing to lose Will Grigg on Dean Smith

"It was half education and half football and I was spotted there and had a trial.

"[Walsall defender] Manny Smith did the same course as me a few years before.

"It was weird because I'd just been released by Birmingham so I went there and I there were quite a few lads I knew from clubs around the Midlands."

The game at Bristol Rovers was only Grigg's third league start but he seems to be highly rated by the Saddlers caretaker boss Dean Smith.

"Dean's been working with us for the past few weeks so it's good," the striker noted. "It's like a new fresh start and we know we've got nothing to lose.

"We're going out there playing with a smile on our face and hopefully we can do the business."

After the confidence boost of breaking his duck Grigg is trying to forget the lack of opportunities he was given by former manager Chris Hutchings in the first half of the season.

Several strikers were brought in as loan signings, while the Solihull-born forward was stuck on the bench.

"Obviously it's been frustrating, but I was getting my chances off the bench and then finally proved myself enough to get my first start. I've just got to build from that."

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