Terry goal wins Shield

A BIGGER trophy cabinet is going to be needed at Fetcham Grove soon enough after the Tanners added another piece of silverware to their collection after claiming Isthmian Charity Shield success against Dartford on Tuesday night.

Leatherhead were certainly the underdogs in the match between the Ryman Premier Division champions and the Ryman League Cup winners, but they more than matched their opponents, who will be playing two leagues higher than them this coming season, and thoroughly deserved their 1-0 win.

Mick Sullivan wanted to win it and his side showed they did too as they restricted a strong Dartford team to just two chances after Kev Terry had given them a first half lead.

The forward took advantage of a goalkeeping error in the 21st minute.

Liam Pestle's high cross was inexplicably missed by Andrew Young in the Darts goal and Terry was there to tap into the unguarded net.

Up until then it was the Tanners who had been playing the better stuff as Tommy Hutchings twice got shots away, once thwarted by a good save from Young after he got in behind the defence, and the second time seeing his effort fizz wide.

Dartford never really threatened in the first period, all new goalkeeper Chico Ramos had to do was deal with a few crosses, but that was probably down to the effectiveness of Chris Boulter and Dan Dean in front of him.

It simply wasn't good enough from the Blue Square South side and they were clearly told that during the break as they came out with renewed vigour, but still they were finding it difficult to fashion any clear-cut openings.

Likewise though, the Tanners were finding it increasingly difficult to keep hold of the ball, much to the disgruntlement of Sullivan.

The green defence stood firm though, even when Darts did up the ante and fashioned some openings.

Substitute Danny Harris shaved the top of the crossbar from a corner and Chris Boulter threw himself in the firing line, literally, putting his body on the line as he made a stunning block from Danny Crouch's thunderbolt.

But the best was most definitely saved until the very last.

Ramos had nothing to do all game, but he was alert in the dying moments to win the game for his new side.

A cross into the box had the Leatherhead defence at sixes and sevens for the first time in the match as tiredness set in, and the ball fell at the feet of Crouch who smashed a low shot goalwards, only for Ramos to stretch out an arm and fingertip the ferocious effort onto the post.

It was a save of sensational proportions, so much so that not even a happy Mick Sullivan knew he had got a touch to until he poke to his goalkeeper after the game.

Dartford: Young, Bonner, Gross, Champion, Goodacre, Shinn, Burchell (Pallen), Berquez, Rook (Crouch), Burns, Probets (Harris). Unused subs: Hayes, Ibrahim.

Leatherhead: Ramos, Coke, Pestle, Boulter, Dean, Thompson (Graham), Terry (Elston), Simmons, Pinnock, Hutchings, Macleod. Unused subs: Hendry, Williams, Jones.