Defence needs to take out AA cover

ATHLETIC will need to be wary of Gillingham’s little and large front pair tomorrow.

Adebayo Akinfenwa, the self-styled ‘beast’ of league one, is set to partner goal machine Cody McDonald for a Gills team lifted by the arrival of experienced boss Peter Taylor.

Though Athletic won the corresponding fixture at Priestfield 1-0 earlier this season, manager Lee Johnson is wary of the visitors’ threat — particularly in the shape of large-framed Akinfenwa.

“He is more mobile than people think. It is just that when you have that sort of muscle mass, it takes a lot of energy to lug it around,” said Johnson, on a player his father Gary had under his command at Northampton. “But he certainly puts a shift in.”

Athletic will need to do likewise as a team tomorrow in order to further improve a home record of two wins in nine games.

“They are a decent side and he has gone in and done well, Peter Taylor. He has lost a lot, but very rarely drawn and he has won plenty,” Johnson added. “We need everyone to be lively for this one. It is an important game.”

One player unlikely to play a role tomorrow, or at all until the end of the season, is Glenn Belezika.

The young centre-back has been on loan in the Skrill Conference this season at Salisbury and Hyde and Johnson says he is free to leave on loan.

“He’s not in my plans and is free to seek other opportunities,” said the manager. “If he wants to go and get a club, I won’t stand in his way.”