Sam Pearce makes first Farnborough return after earlier career promotion bidding to create more AFC Portchester Hampshire Senior Cup history at expense of old club

The Royals have made it through to the last-four of the county cup competition for the first time in their history this season, with a trip to two-divisions higher Southern League Premier South high-fliers Boro tomorrow night standing between them and a place in the final.

For Pearce, returning to the Portchester side after a spell out with a hamstring problem in the weekend win over Blackfield & Langley, it's a trip which will evoke some fond career memories.

The 35-year-old former Hawks, Gosport Borough and Moneyfields man enjoyed two separate spells at Farnborough and helped them win promotion via the Southern League Division One Central play-offs in his second Cherrywood Road stint in the 2016-17 season.

Now, in what will be his first return to Farnborough as a player, Pearce is looking forward to seeing some very familiar faces - but hopes they're not the ones celebrating at full-time!

He said: ‘Obviously to get to the semi-finals is always a good thing. We’ve been a little bit disappointed with our league position throughout the season, so to be able to get to the semi-final of the Hampshire Senior Cup shows how good we can be.

‘It’s a chance to test ourselves against a team who near the top of the league a couple of leagues above - it’ll be good for us.

‘I’ve been back to watch a couple of games but I’ve never been back to actually play. I get on really well with a few of the guys up there. We’ve been back a couple of times with the family and that, as you do.

‘I think there’s still three or four of the guys there (from his spells), obviously the manager (Spencer Day) is still the same. It’ll be a good occasion for everyone, really.’

Portchester boss Dave Carter will also have a trip down memory lane when he leads his current club in the semi-final at Farnborough.

Carter told how he lived in the Hampshire town in his younger days - and even used to enjoy a tipple at the football club. He recalled: ‘I’ve never actually taken a football team there so it’ll be good and the surface will be very good.

‘I used to live in Farnborough for two years as well - I was only 18 when I lived there - I used to drink in the football club many moons ago.’