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 Isthmian Premier Potters Bar.

Moore, 35, said: “I said ‘We have eight games to go, can you help us out?’.

“He will not be available this Saturday, which we knew, but he will play the Sittingbourne game.

"With his commitments with BT and stuff, we just want him to play as many games as possible.

“Signing him is putting Faversham back on the map and saying we’re trying to push this club forward.”

But even Akinfenwa’s comeback could not inspire the Lilywhites enough at Lancing.

Striker Ronald Sithole, set to stay until the end of the season on loan from Gillingham, gave them the lead before Tyrese Menzi Mthunzi equalised and Reece Hallard got a late winner.

Moore reflected: “It was a tough one to take.

"We were dominant. I think we started well and got a great goal.

“We knew what strength they had and their qualities, especially at home. But we always felt we could get a result there.

“We played well on the 3G and were disappointed we didn’t go in at half-time with more than one.

“I said to the boys at half-time that one lapse could cost us.

“I actually thought we started the second half quite well and there was a goalmouth scramble but, within 20 seconds, the ball goes out for a corner, we don’t switch on and it’s a goal.

“Goals change games. They didn’t deserve to win, I think we lost the game, really.

“Maybe, there was a lack of a bit of leadership in our box. That cost us. Then, we didn’t get tight enough on the edge of the box for their second one.

“After the game, it was flat, but we just need to keep going.”

Defender Oliver Gray was absent with Covid and he proved a big loss.

“I thought we missed him on Saturday,” Moore said.

“The two games before, he had been excellent.”

While Moore now thinks Faversham could potentially need to win all seven of their remaining fixtures, he won’t get ahead of himself.

He said: “I think we need to win all seven games. I know it’s a cliche but we need to take it one game at a time.

“The disappointing thing is we have gone close - not just the Lancing game, but the Sevenoaks game and East Grinstead as well. We have been working really hard behind the scenes.”

Experienced midfielder Tyler Christian-Law is another recent recruit.

Moore noted: “He’s another really good lad. Really, he’s a Step 3 player.

“He’s with us for the right reasons, that’s the type of character we want at the club. He was at Horsham and playing. Then he had a family problem and could not get back in.

“I said ‘Come down to us’ and, although Akinfenwa overshadowed him, really, that’s another good signing.”