Seven of his former Moneyfields players set to feature in Dave Carter’s opening game as AFC Portchester boss tonight

Sam Pearce is one of seven players who have followed Dave Carter from Moneyfields to AFC Portchester.

The new Royals boss, who took on the role in February, has recruited seven players from former club Moneyfields with all of them in line to feature in a home friendly against Hampshire Premier League Senior Division side Paulsgrove.

Carter has brought Jake Hallett, Sam Pearce, Tom Dinsmore, Lewis Fennemore, George Barker, Marley Ridge and Lamin Jatta to the Crest Finance Stadium with him.

Three of those - Dinsmore, Ridge and Barker - he had signed for Moneys last summer.

However, it looks as though Moneys' star striker Steve Hutchings will be staying at Dover Road after talks about him possibly moving to Portchester.

Having been forced to wait the best part of two months for his first match in charge of the Royals, Carter is looking forward to watching his new charges in a match situation for the first time.

He said: 'It’s been a long time coming.

'It’ll be good to get our teeth into it and I think the next few weeks will speed life up because we got football back, which is good.

'We’ve brought a few in already. They’ll all play a part tonight.

'I’ve made no qualms that to win the Wessex League or to be challenging for the Wessex League, you need Southern League players.

‘If you look at George Barker, Marley Ridge, Sam Pearce, Tom Dinsmore, Jake Hallett - he (Hallett) had a two-year pro deal at Norwich.

'Tom Dinsmore had a two-year pro deal at Bournemouth, six years ago George Barker was playing for Swindon.

'You had Marley Ridge playing at Havant in the Conference a couple of seasons ago, Sam Pearce, again, played for Havant and Gosport, so they’re all top top players and top, top signings in my opinion.'

Yet Carter looks to have come up short in his bid to lure talisman Hutchings to the Crest Finance Stadium for next season.

Carter added: 'We’ve spoken to Steve but he’s made his decision to stay at Moneys.'

After tonight, Portchester host US Portsmouth in a friendly on Saturday, April 10 followed by a trip to Folland Sports in their opening Hampshire Invitation Cup tie on April 17.