North Village midfield ace Tre Ming is preparing to take on his former club PHC Zebras when two of the most successful teams in the Friendship Trophy lock horns in a mouth-watering semi-final clash at Wellington Oval on Boxing Day (2pm).

Ming is seeking revenge for the 3-0 defeat that holders PHC inflicted on Village at the same stage of the competition last season en route to clinching a record fourteenth title.

“PHC dealt us strong in last year’s semi-final so we are definitely trying to right that wrong,” Ming told The Royal Gazette.

“I am at a point where I am tired of seeing PHC win, so we have to switch it up a little bit and I think it’s our turn now.”

PHC reached the last four courtesy of a 5-0 demolition of Wolves while 11-times champions Village prevailed 2-0 over Paget Lions with Ming getting his name on the scoresheet.

The Premier Division rivals battled to a 1-1 stalemate in their only previous meeting between them this season, with Ming again scoring, and he happy his team is back at full strength for what he anticipates will be a tough game.

“Our form has been pretty good and I am just thankful now that we have our cricket champions back [Terryn Fray, Tre Manders and Jonté Smith], while we will also have Jai Bean,” Ming said.

“I really want to see PHC at full strength and us at full strength just battling it out, and that’s what it’s about. People paying want to see the best two teams and, straight up, the best two teams are us and PHC.”

Ming, a teacher at Sandys Secondary Middle School, has no regrets about transferring to Village from a club he had spent the majority of his career with.

“I feel a little something in the build up but once the whistle blows they are just another opponent,” Ming said.

“For me it’s even more sweet because I get to watch some of the youngsters at PHC that I mentored and helped to see who they are today, and it’s fulfilling.”

Ming takes particular delight in offering advice to younger players and leading by example to elevate the level of sport on island.

“In my opinion football in Bermuda is at its lowest,” he said.

“The quality is really poor and all we can look towards is our youth, so I am just trying to help them along, keep pushing them and giving them the advice that they ask for and being an example.”

The 30-year-old is in his third season with Village since switching allegiance from PHC and is determined to help build on the club’s remarkable cup-winning legacy.

“Club legacy means a great deal to me because Village have a great following, a great hierarchy that speaks highly and tremendously about what it looks like and what it takes,” Ming said.

“So I know for me I just want to reward them and give them something to smile about. It’s nice to win trophies but it’s also nice to show that the former players left it in good hands.”

The big clash between PHC and North Village is preceded by the Shield semi-final pitting Boulevard against Somerset Eagles, which kicks off at noon.

The second Friendship Trophy and Shield semi-finals take place on Friday night with Dandy Town coming up against Hamilton Parish at PHC Field (9pm).

Hornets edged St George’s Colts 1-0 in the previous round while Parish prevailed over Young Men’s Social Club by the same margin to reach the last four.

Somerset Trojans will face Robin Hood in the remaining Shield semi-final at PHC Field on Friday night (7pm).

The Friendship Trophy and Shield finals will take place at Somerset Cricket Club on New Year’s Day.