THREE goals for Greg Andrews and three points for Leatherhead but things are anything but rosy for the Tanners.

Mick Sullivan's men laboured to victory over the Chips as their unconvincing start to the new season continued at High Road on Bank Holiday Monday.

Indeed, had it not been for Andrews' clinical finishing, the Tanners might well have returned to Fetcham Grove with just a point, if that.

The visitors could have had three goals before the break, and Chips defender Wayne Grizzle could have scored two of them, as twice his clearances might have gone anywhere, but one floated just over the bar and the other was clawed away superbly by home keeper Martin Grant.

The Tanners had to settle for just a one goal lead at the interval though when Andrews capitalised on hesitation in the home defence in the 13th minute before smashing a left foot shot low into the bottom corner.

Jason Thompson really should have equalised six minutes later when Dom O'Shea squared for him in the box, but his effort rose high over the bar.

The Leatherhead side that reappeared after the break looked almost nothing like the one that had seen out the first as the home side saw more of the ball and enjoyed the better chances, though they had to rely on a moment of madness from Jon Coke to give them a foothold in the game, the right back inexplicably going to ground to bring down Ray Freeman in the box.

Thompson stepped up and sent Chico Ramos the wrong way to level the scores.

Half-time substitute AJ Morrison was causing all sorts of trouble for the Leatherhead defence, but the hosts could not force a way through the Tanners defence in open play, and just like the home side were made to pay for not scoring more than one in the first half, the Chips were also left thinking about what might have been when Andrews completed his hat-trick to hand the Tanners all three points.

He first converted from the penalty spot four minutes from time, after Jon Boswell had bundled his cross home, via a handball from defender Lee Coburn. The linesman signalled, the goal was not given, Coburn saw red and Andrews stepped up to score the goal that should have been given in the first place.

The striker then took advantage of the gaps in the home defence, easily sidestepping Grizzle before coolly placing a shot past the keeper in stoppage time to wrap up the points.

Leatherhead: Ramos, Coke, Boulter, Pestle, Boswell, Simmons (Graham 68), Terry (Macleod 62), Thompson, Andrews, Hutchings (Elston 76), Odunaike. Unused subs: Williams, Goodwell.