LEATHERHEAD claimed the Advertiser Challenge Trophy for the fifth time, but they needed a late equaliser and a penalty shootout to see off a spirited Dorking side.

Dorking had taken a shock 33rd minute lead and looked to be heading for victory until Tanners captain Chris Boulter bundled the ball and Chicks keeper John McBride into the net in the last minute to set up a shootout.

It was a cruel end to proceedings for Dorking, who showed real character and fight to keep their higher league neighbours at bay.

This is not the same Dorking side that could only muster three wins in the whole of last season's Combined Counties Premier Division campaign. New manager Adrian Cox has brought in a whole new squad, and with it, seemingly has come a whole new ethos.

Off the back of a successful Ryman League South season, the Tanners were expected to see off their neighbours with ease, but that was not the case.

While Mick Sullivan's side had the majority of the play and kept hold of possession for long periods, they could not find a way through a stiff Dorking backline, and when they did, they found McBride in impressive form.

Boulter and Kev Terry both volleyed over the bar, while Tommy Hutchings had an attempted lob superbly tipped over by the excellent John McBride, before Dorking took the lead with only their second attempt on goal.

Dan Evans had struck a free-kick straight and true that Chico Ramos did well to hang onto on the half hour mark, but three minutes later the Chicks were ahead.

A free-kick in the middle of the park by captain Sam Sawyer caught the Tanners back line off guard and split the defence. Luke Donald was on hand to poke the ball past Ramos.

Mark Simmons curled a free-kick just wide soon after, but Dorking held on to lead at the break.

Four minutes into the second half and Toby Fitzgibbon got his head on an Evans cross, but could not get any kind of direction on it and the chance was gone.

The goal had given the home side real confidence, but they were to come under real pressure in the second half, indebted to another fine save by McBride and two goal-line clearances from substitute Tyrone Oliver to keep them in front.

Kev Terry got in behind the home defence after 51 minutes, but McBride was alert to beat the shot away.

Terry then missed a gilt-edged opportunity after ghosting in behind Dave Thompson and slotting wide of McBride's post on the hour mark.

Substitute Gabriel Odunaike should have done better when he flicked past McBride before another substitute made his mark on the game.

Stationed on the post for corners, diminutive Oliver twice rescued his side when first Greg Andrews looked to have found the equaliser and then Chris Boulter was foiled.

It looked as if Dorking were going to hang on and claim an unexpected, but hard-fought victory, but as the clock ticked towards 90 minutes, a moment of controversy swung the game.

Bentley Graham hung up a high free-kick, Terry got a looped header on it and as McBride went up to claim, Boulter was there challenging and the two collided. The ball dropped over the line.

Boulter immediately looked to the linesman, wondering if a foul would be given, as did the referee, but no flag was forthcoming and Leatherhead had got out of jail.

With neither manager wanting an extra 30 minutes at this stage of pre-season, the game went to penalties, and Ramos showed why he has been brought to Fetcham Grove by Mick Sullivan this season.

He saved the first two Dorking spotkicks from Leroy Hyett and Toby Fitzgibbon, while Dan Dean and Liam Pestle both netted. Andrews bagged the third before McBride stepped up to take one himself.

He showed his team-mates how it's done by smashing home, but it was all in vain as Terry grabbed the fourth to snatch the trophy for Leatherhead.

Dorking: McBride, Suchey, Sawyers (Hyett), Thompson, McCann (Oliver), Tyler (Maneh), Donald, Cox, Attree (Jeeves), Fitzgibbon, Evans. Unused subs: Waldren, Campbell.

Leatherhead: Ramos, Coke (Goodwell), Pestle, Boulter, Dean, Thompson, Terry, Simmons, Pinnock (Graham), Hutchings (Andrews), Macleod (Odunaike). Unused sub: Guiney.