Jacob Russell made a welcome Faversham Town return on Saturday.

No.1 Russell made his Lilywhites comeback in their Southern Counties East League Premier Division goalless draw at Glebe.

He had been sidelined since he sustained facial injuries, including a broken nose, in last month’s 8-1 home victory against basement boys Lydd.

While the 23-year-old had returned to training with a protective mask on his face, he decided against using it against Glebe.

“Jacob didn’t have a great deal to do but, with everything he needed to do, he did reasonably well,” said Town manager Tommy Warrilow, who had re-signed Archie Burford to fill the void Russell left.

“He played for the under-23s last Wednesday (a 2-1 win at Bearsted) and did well. He’s got a mask, but he didn’t put it on.

“At the end of the day, Jacob’s a big boy now. We have got a free midweek so he can rest it up.

“The first few weeks it was advised he puts it on, but it’s more just his nose we’re protecting. We’ll leave that to Jacob.

“Getting him back in is no reflection on Archie, who we thank.

“But he knew, once Jacob was back, he’d come back in.”

Warrilow felt frontrunners Faversham did enough to secure all three points at Foxbury Avenue.

They couldn’t find a way through, though, and even nearly lost it at the death.

Warrilow reflected: “We were all disappointed. We thought we played well and dominated the majority of the game.

“We probably should have come away with three points because we created some good chances and got in some good areas.

“It did feel a bit like a loss, but that could be a massive point come the end of the season.

“At the end - and I’m not even sure how it came about - they had a chance that went across the goal so they could have won it. That would have been extremely harsh.

“But we’re just lacking that final touch a little bit at the moment.”

Youth-team player Danny Partis was part of Town’s matchday squad at Glebe, albeit he was only an unused substitute.

“I’ve seen him play a couple of times and he has got a really good left foot,” noted Warrilow, who hopes to have left-back Bradley Simms available again soon.

“We have signed Nodirbek Bobomurodov. He’s a very strong and powerful player, and there’s more to come from him.

"Like Jack Parter, he has only played two games, but they’re both going to be big players for us.”

Striker Dan Thompson and vastly-experienced forward Ian Draycott have left the club.

Warrilow said: “We thank them both and wish them well.

“They didn’t do anything wrong, it’s just a numbers game.

“Whether teams are trying to stay up, fighting for a play-off place or the title, I’m sure everyone would like to bring in a couple of fresh players if they can, just for that final bit of the season.”

The title fight appears to be a two-horse race between Town and VCD, who are in shooting distance of Faversham with games in hand.

But Warrilow, who has this week signed midfielder Zak Bryon from the Vickers, said: “What I can’t do is come off and ask straight away ‘How did VCD get on?’. If I did that, it would be the longest 13 games ever!

“That’s why we’re just concentrating on ourselves.”

Next up is the visit of Tunbridge Wells this Saturday.

The teams are yet to meet in the league but have done so in the Kent Senior Trophy - Faversham winning 2-0 at home in late November, with the initial tie at the Culverden Stadium being abandoned after an hour due to the weather.

“We have played them already a couple of times this season,” said Warrilow. “Obviously, one of them got abandoned. They’re a good team.

“They have got some good players, but we just need to keep doing what we are doing.

“If you look at Rusthall, they have got on a bit of a roll in the last month or so.

“They were 3-0 down [against Punjab] on Saturday and - just when you think their run might be over - they turn it around and win 4-3!

“With some teams, they have still got 40-odd points to play for.

"No game is ever going to be easy.”