James Bessey-Saldanha describes Sheppey United’s squad as one of the most naturally cohesive he has been involved with as he scores for the second straight match
05:00, 10 November 2023
updated: 18:37, 06 December 2023
James Bessey-Saldanha has described Sheppey’s squad as one of the most naturally cohesive he has been involved in during his career.
The 27-year-old winger enjoyed The Ites’ best moment in the national spotlight on Friday night, scoring a fantastic first-half goal in their televised First-Round tie against Walsall - before the League 2 outfit hit back to run out 4-1 winners.
Now, Sheppey’s focus switches to Isthmian South East matters after their memorable cup run. Bessey-Saldanha thinks it will be a disappointing league campaign if they aren’t promoted at the end of it after they narrowly missed out on a play-off berth last term.
“The squad we have got is phenomenal,” he said. “The players we have are brilliant.
“I don’t think I have ever played with a team that gels so well naturally.
“So, I really do think we have got a good chance of getting promoted this season.
“If we don’t get promoted, it will be a big disappointment.”
Bessey-Saldanha already has Isthmian Premier experience. He moved to Holm Park in the summer after a few seasons with Margate.
He said: “This is a club that I have always looked at and thought: ‘That’s a good football club.’ That’s one of the reasons I came.
“The squad has stayed mostly the same from last season. There’s been a couple of additions, myself included, and we have only strengthened.
“We should carry this momentum forward.”
It would also appear Bessey-Saldanha has a knack for superb long-range goals.
His special strike against Walsall was his first competitive goal of the campaign - albeit another effort this term came in similarly impressive fashion in a pre-season friendly against a Gillingham XI.
Bessey-Saldanha, who also netted in Tuesday’s 2-0 home league win over Beckenham, said: “I’m probably one of the players who has had the most shots in the squad!
“It was my first goal of the season - what a goal it was - so I’m very pleased with that.”
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