Proud Sheppey United boss Ernie Batten felt his players performed well against Football League outfit Walsall in their FA Cup First-Round tie in front of the television cameras on Friday night.

The Ites took a shock lead against their League 2 visitors, four divisions higher than Isthmian South East Sheppey - who had been the lowest-ranked side left in this season’s competition - when winger James Bessey-Saldanha blasted home in spectacular fashion.

But forward Douglas James-Taylor equalised in the first half to dampen hopes of an FA Cup upset. Second-half strikes from Tom Knowles, Ross Tierney and Isaac Hutchinson ensured it finished 4-1 to Walsall in front of a 1,450-strong crowd at Holm Park.

“I’m very proud,” reflected Batten. “I thought we acquitted ourselves very well.

“It’s always difficult against a full-time, professional, team. Their fitness levels are much higher.

“But I thought, overall, that we did well, especially in the first half where I think we matched them over the park.”

Bessey-Saldanha picked the perfect occasion to get his first competitive goal of the campaign as his long-range drive sent Sheppey’s supporters into dreamland.

Report: Sheppey United 1-4 Walsall

Batten said: “He has been hitting the cows in the back of the field for most of the season!

“He’s struggled to find the target - but wow. He made up for it with that one. It was a great goal.”

With the match evenly-poised at 1-1, and player-of-the-match Sheppey keeper Aiden Prall in fine form, the hosts could easily have retaken the lead in the early stages of the second half. But substitute Alex Willis and defender Connor Wilkins both failed to hit the target with crucial chances.

Batten accepted the game could have panned out differently if one of those opportunities had gone in.

He said: “Goals change games, as they say.

“If one of those go in, we get our noses in front and it could have been different. But overall, I think we acquitted ourselves really well.”

And, once Walsall - 93 places higher in the football pyramid than their hosts - had their noses in front, they didn’t really look back.

“It’s just the fitness levels - the way they move the ball quickly and move you around,” said Batten, of the difference between the two teams.

“We worked extremely hard to keep our shape and keep them at bay, which I thought we did very well.

“As the game went on, the fitness levels started to take their toll and they were always going to have more spaces.”

Willis had come on after 44 minutes as Dan Bradshaw’s night was ended early by injury again.

On the decision to play striker Bradshaw, Batten said: “It was very much a gamble.

“He played against Billericay - and got two goals - but both times he was struggling a little bit.

“We just took a chance on him. We had nothing to lose, really.

“He’s been having a lot of treatment and did come through training well the other night.

“It was a gamble that we thought was worth taking.”

The Ites’ players were given a massive ovation at the full-time whistle, despite defeat, as their best-ever FA Cup run ended.

Batten said: “It was as if we had won the game. They’ve really come in their numbers and supported us.”

Walsall head coach Mat Sadler praised Sheppey for their FA Cup run – and having reached the Fourth Round last term where they faced Leicester, he hopes they can create similar memories in the competition this term.

Speaking to their club’s media team, Sadler said: “In some respects, it’s a perfect football night for all concerned.

“They get their little bit of a magic moment – and they have earned that, let’s not forget the part that Sheppey had to play tonight in the game. They put on a good show.

“I spoke before the game about wanting to create our own memories from this competition and create our moments from it. We had that last season, with the Leicester game.

“We want to have some more of those memories. We all know what the ramifications of having a good cup run can be from a financial point of view.

“If you take the financial thing out of it, there’s some unbelievable memories to be had in it. Sheppey had theirs tonight. We want ours.”

Sheppey, 14th in Isthmian South East, host Beckenham as they return to league action on Tuesday.