In 2016–17, Pires was again the second division's top scorer with 23 goals as the Algarvean team won the league title, with four more than Gil Vicente FC's Paulinho. He added seven the following campaign in a 10th-place finish, including a hat-trick in a 4–3 win over former club Moreirense on 31 March 2018 in which the opponents had led 3–0; two of those goals were added-time penalties to win the points.
