Walsall were dumped out of the FA Cup as Torquay towered above the faulty Saddlers.

In the town of John Cleese’s iconic comedy Fawlty Towers, manager Chris Hutchings was left wishing for staff more Messi then Manuel.

Billy Kee’s first-half penalty – after Andy Butler fouled Wolves loanee Ashley Hemmings – sunk the Saddlers and denied them a shot at the third round.

Alex Nicholls, Will Grigg and Steve Jones all missed presentable chances in a battling but ultimately fruitless second round performance.

It left them with only League One survival to focus on and defeat keeps the pressure on Hutchings – despite yesterday’s vote of confidence from the board.

Grigg was handed his full debut after Reuben Reid and Jon Macken were ruled out, with hamstring and calf injuries respectively.

Liam Dickinson also came in up front, following his substitute appearance in the midweek defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.

It was a disjointed first 15 minutes – both sides aware of what was at stake – but, such was the fragile nature of the two sides, one piece of skill would open either up.

Grigg stung goalkeeper Scott Bevan’s palms after 22 minutes as the Saddlers begun to find their stride and the Torquay shotstopper again had to be alive to beat away Richards’ angled drive three minutes later.

Immediately, the Gulls broke and Kee fed Chris Zebroski, for the striker to turn Oliver Lancashire and force Jimmy Walker into a fine point-blank stop.

The goalkeeper had kept the Saddlers in the Cup with his displays against Fleetwood and he came to the rescue again just after the half hour, tipping over Kevin Nicholson’s fierce free kick.

While it wasn’t total football, the sides were going toe-to-toe and Nicholls was the latest to spurn a chance after he fired wide following Dickinson’s through ball.

He was left to rue the miss on 41 minutes after Nicky Wroe fed Hemmings and the youngster was felled by Butler in the area.

Kee stepped up to hammer the penalty high to Walker’s left.

With their tails up, the Gulls came out with intent after the break and Walker tipped another dangerous Nicholson free kick wide.

The Saddlers had flattered to deceive and were yet to prove they were a division higher than their League Two hosts, who were making the running.

Walker – fast becoming the star man again – kept the Saddlers within touching distance when he turned Zebroski’s close-range effort over after 57 minutes.

Walsall tried to respond and Bevan grabbed Grigg’s low shot, but the Saddlers were struggling to make any inroads into a robust Gulls defence.

But they were mounting a push – with Torquay inviting them on – with little to suggest they would level as substitute Steve Jones slashed wide.

Butler moved up front and saw his header saved by Bevan, before Walker denied Zebroski in injury time.

But the Saddlers couldn’t find a way back and were left to contemplate another early cup exit.