FIFTEEN years is a long time in football, but Winchester City striker Andy Forbes remembers it like it was yesterday.

It was back on May 1, 2001, that a fresh-faced Forbes first tasted Hampshire FA Senior Cup glory as part of an adventurous, young Andover side who outshone two leagues higher Havant & Waterlooville 2-0 in the last ever county showpiece to be staged at The Dell.

Tomorrow the 36-year-old returns to the Southampton stage, this time St Mary’s (7.45), gunning for a repeat HSC giant-killing with Winchester City.

And, as coincidence would have it, Havant & Waterlooville are again standing between Forbes and cup glory.

Given everything that has happened in the intervening years, the Reading-based marksman could be forgiven if memories of that 2001 final are somewhat blurred.

During a brilliant non-League career Forbes has crammed in FA Vase glory for Winchester in 2004 and an FA Trophy final with Gosport Borough at Wembley ten years later.

In between, he established himself as a true Eastleigh legend, banging in a phenomenal 131 goals in his first 234 appearances for the Spitfires as they scaled the pyramid towards the Conference South.

Forbes, though, has clear recollections of that Andover cup success, smiling: “We had a good team that year and it was a great occasion.

“We’d just won the Wessex League and, for me at the time, it was like winning the FA Trophy.

“We were two leagues below Havant (then in the old Dr Martens Premier Division) and beating them was one of the highlights of my career.

“We were massive underdogs and those occasions tend to stick out in your memory.”

Unusually for Forbes, he was not on the scoresheet that night.

That honour, he effortlessly recalled, went to 33-year-old Allan Kennedy, who looped in a header from Forbes’s nod-on, and a stoppage-time second from Derek Simpson who stole possession before lofting the ball over stranded 'keeper Paul Nicholls from distance.

In timely fashion Forbes, who only recently came out of retirement to aid Winchester's Southern One South & West play-off quest, netted the first goal of his comeback in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Bishop’s Cleeve.

It ensured City head into tomorrow's final on a six-match unbeaten run – a stark contrast to Havant, who still have their work cut out to pull away from the Vanarama National League South relegation zone.

“Havant won’t like playing Winchester,” said Forbes, who knows exactly how to get under the Hawks’ skin from his Gosport days.

“It’s good being the underdogs going into the final because there’s no pressure on you.

“It’s a one-off occasion on a good pitch and these Winchester boys can play. Pitches are a leveller in our league – but it won’t be there!

“I’m really looking forward to it on behalf of the lads who have never played at a stadium like that before.”

Unfortunately Matt Benham, a former Saints youngster, will not feature at St Mary’s.

The midfielder has suffered a set-back to his recovery from a medial ligament strain. Left-back Danny King has a tight hamstring, but should be okay.

Fans are reminded that tomorrow's final is all-ticket with no cash admission at the turnstiles. For information on purchasing tickets contact Gary Pratt: 01256 853003 or Gary.Pratt@HampshireFA.com