Young Tanners bring welcome silverware to Fetcham Grove

11:46am Wednesday 7th May 2008

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Leatherhead's youngsters have ensured the club's miserbale season ended on a high note by claiming the Isthmian League Youth Cup with a 2-1 victory over Borehamwood.

Silverware has been notable by its absence at Fetcham Grove in the past few years but the U18s laid that ghost to rest with a highly competent performance.

The young Tanners opened in a positive fashion and Tom Horley hit the angle between bar and post inside the first minute.

The Hertfordshire side were well organised without actually asking too much from Tom Gibson in Leatherhead's goal.

Cup finals are rarely classic contests and this was no exception.

The first half finished goalless but it did not take Leatherhead long to take the lead after the break.

Steve Barilli, a half-time substitution, again displayed his great pace and calm head, running on to a ball over Borehamwood's defence and rounding the keeper to make it 1-0.

As the half wore on, the visitors started bossing possession and territory, but were unable to break down a Tanners backline in which Dan Dean and Joel Fontana were superb.

With 20 minutes on the clock, first-team regular Tom Hutchings doubled Leatherhead's advantage.

Again, Barilli was instrumental, breaking through the middle drawing a fine save from the keeper, only for Hutchings to follow up and tap into an open net.

The remaining minutes were tense for the Tanners, who dropped deeper and relied on a solid performance from their rearguard.

But, although Borehamwood had their fair share of midfield play, it was only while Leatherhead were down to 10 men - with Sacha M'Baye off the field injured - that they pulled a goal back.

It was not enough and the young Tanners added a welcome piece of silverware to the Leatherhead boardroom.

It was a highly satisfactory afternoon from the Leatherhead youngsters, who showed their senior colleagues a thing or two about character