Volleyball team Danes Watford have won the National Shield for the first time in their history.

The National League side battled to a narrow semi-final win over Brentwood in the knockout competition.

In the final at the National Volleyball Centre in Kettering they took on Yorkshire side Boathouse in front of a large group of their supporters.

Danes were in very good form and achieved a 3-0 victory. The win has put the team, who finished in second place in Division Two, in good heart for a forthcoming triangular fixture where they will face Boathouse and Leicester in a play-off for a place in the First Division next season.

A number of the present team, which train at St Clement Danes School in Chorleywood, started their volleyball careers at the school under present coach Paul Westhead. Captain James Newman, Stuart Back, Riaz Omar, Andrew Tucker and Ryan Murphy are all ex-pupils of the school who have progressed to play at national and international level.

In addition to the National League, the club are hoping to be able to put a side in the Hertfordshire League next season to give younger and less experienced members of the squad some valuable court time.