Former Gillingham striker Adebayo Akinfenwa’s Faversham Town home debut on hold but Burgess Hill Town match at Salters Lane this weekend still a must-win game

Fans will have to wait for popular ex-Gillingham striker Adebayo Akinfenwa’s Faversham home debut.

The 40-year-old has come out of retirement to link up with the Lilywhites in their battle to avoid relegation from Isthmian South East - but won’t be available this weekend.

He made his Faversham bow on Saturday at Lancing as he started the match and came through 45 minutes. He helped them earn a 1-0 half-time lead, only for the hosts to win 2-1.

Boss Sammy Moore said: “I have known Bayo for a long time.

"We played together at AFC Wimbledon.

“I thought we needed something a little bit different up top. I said ‘Could you come and help out?’.

“It could be the greatest escape he’s been involved in! Also his experience from having been promoted, I thought that could help us.

“He was great, first half. He was an absolute handful.

“It’s a shame we could not keep him on for more than 45 minutes but he seized up.

"The players loved having him around.”

But with Akinfenwa having media commitments at BT Sport and talkSPORT, he will miss this Saturday’s home fixture against Burgess Hill.

He is set to feature at Salters Lane in their Swale derby against Sittingbourne next weekend, though.

Moore said: “He wants to help me out. We’ve been friends for a while.

“We’ve signed him on a short-term deal. The Sittingbourne game, he will be involved and, hopefully, we can see Akinfenwa playing in a Faversham shirt.

“It’s more of a mate’s thing. He has always kept in contact.

“It’s just a case of can we try and get out of a difficult situation so we’re delighted to have him on board.

“I think it took him half an hour to get into the ground on Saturday!"

It proved second time lucky for Moore, who had tried to sign Akinfenwa, nicknamed The Beast, at