There may not be a better time for Ross Stearn to be returning to his old club.

The winger bagged his first Sutton United goals as they finally saw the back of Hemel Hempstead in the FA Cup after a 2-1 replay win on Monday night.

Now, with a fourth qualifying round trip to National League outfit Aldershot to look forward to, Stearn and co return to league action at Bath City this weekend.

The 25-year-old trainee electrician, who only lives 20 minutes from Saturday’s hosts, hit 16 goals in 17 starts for Bath last season, before making the switch to United.

“I cannot wait to go back to Bath City, you always like playing against your old club,” he said.

“I did not leave on bad terms, so I don’t think I’ll get a bad reception, and that always makes things easier.

“It’s a club I enjoyed being at, and I know a lot of people there.

“But we want to beat them, otherwise I won’t hear the last of it.”

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Get in there: Ross Stearn hits the opener in Sutton United's 2-1 FA Cup replay win over Hemel Hempstead on Monday night 

He added: “It is nicer to be just 20 minutes down the road rather than two and a half hours on the road, and a goal against them would not go amiss.”

It took Stearn 17 appearances to score his first United goal, but he insists the wait was not playing on his mind.

And while there have been upheavals in his personal life, he will not fall back on excuses.

He said: “The lack of goals has cropped up a few times – you hear people saying ‘I thought we’d got you to score goals, you haven’t scored yet’. “I don’t think I have been playing badly and the opportunities have been there, I just have not taken them.

“That’s not good, but it was nice to get on the scoresheet on Saturday and then follow that up on Monday – so hopefully they will keep coming.”

He added: “Some might say it’s down to there being a lot of change in my life.

I’ve got a little one now, there’s a lot of travelling, but I think I have taken it in my stride and I am loving it.”

Manager Paul Doswell said: "Goals come in clusters, and you’re hopeful that he’ll go on a run.

"We need him to get 15 goals this season, that’s the target.

"He scored loads last year, and you need your two strikers and two wide men to contribute a certain amount and 15 goals has been discussed.

"He’s a bright character and in his own mind he thought he’d get 20."

He added: "It was playing on his mind a bit, he’s played well enough – he’s just not had that end product."