Sheppey United to face Rusthall away in the FA Cup this Saturday after midweek loss against Margate in the Isthmian League

Sheppey United are looking to bounce back from Tuesday night’s Margate defeat when they travel to Rusthall in the FA Cup this weekend.

The Ites suffered a 1-0 home loss to Margate, Albie O’Mara-Knapp scoring the only goal in the 77th minute.

It was a frustrating result for Sheppey after they had dominated much of the first half, following their 4-0 Isthmian League win at Horley Town on Saturday.

Joint-manager Ian Batten felt his side had done enough to be ahead at the break but were unable to make their pressure count.

He said: “We had quite a few opportunities in the first half, balls flashing across the box. I don’t know how many corners and free-kicks we had, it must have been double figures in the first half, but we just couldn’t put the ball in the net.

“We went in at half-time quite confident, saying ‘carry on, do not drop’. If you drop it’s going to be a different game and I felt like it was, if I’m being totally honest.

“It was a game of two halves, I thought we were the better side first half and they were the better side second half. We were well off it, second half.

“You’re always in danger of conceding if you don’t put your chances away.

“I don’t think they were particularly bad in the first half, I just thought we were decent. After the first half performance, we were saying that we’d be disappointed with a draw, never mind a defeat.”

It was a setback after Sheppey had scored four against Horley, having also put six past Kennington in their FA Cup replay the previous week.

Batten said: “The changing room was bouncing before the game and you could see that in our first half performance.

“I think if we got that first goal we go on and win.”

Sheppey’s under-23s claimed a 5-3 win over Maidstone United under-23s