Daisy Hill will be looking to get back into action for the first time in 2025 on Saturday when they host Thornton Cleveleys in the North West Counties League First Division North (3pm).

Improving conditions should mean the game will go ahead as planned, with Daisy looking to continue the good form they showed before the bad weather wreaked havoc with the fixtures schedule.

Keeping the players match fit has been a challenge since the turn of the year, and in the past couple of weeks Daisy manager Lee Hill has been focusing on different ways to keep the players ticking over.

“We have been concentrating on fitness at the moment, with us having had a break from playing, so our work has been largely fitness-based and trying to get some sharpness back,” said Hill.

“One of our players, Ryan Lockett, has a Build A Baller facility in Bury, which has a football court for small-sided games, and we trained there on Monday night, having three-v-three games, and it was a really good session.

“When you are doing the small-sided work, it is a lot more intense and hard work, and we had groups of three-v-three games, roll-on roll-off for around an hour and a half.

“It was really intense, the lads got a lot out of it and it was a great way to blow the cobwebs off.”

Saturday’s opponents Thornton Cleveleys are making their first ever visit to Daisy Hill, having joined the league in the summer after being promoted as champions of the West Lancashire League Premier Division.

After a solid start, the Fylde-coast side have hit a slump and have lost 10 of their last 11 games in a run stretching back to early October, but Hill is in no mood for taking them lightly.

“At the minute, I think Thornton Cleveleys are a bit like we were early in the season and last season, where they have been often losing by an odd goal but at the same time always having the ability to put on a performance against teams higher up in the table,” said Hill.

“So I think we have to look at them like that, and look at their results against the likes of Nelson who are top of the table, where they only lost by a single goal when they went there, after being ahead for over an hour. They have been competitive in many of the games they have lost.

“It’s the sort of game that could throw up different scenarios. We’ve been on a good run and then had a break, while they have been on a poor run and had a break.

“When we played them back in August they went down to 10 men early on, and the game swung in our favour for a number of reasons.

“They are no mugs, and although we have improved since we played them, I’m sure they have, too. They gave us a tough test at home, and I am expecting them to do the same at our place.

“But the good thing about us now is that we are in a position where we can concentrate more on ourselves and our game plan, whereas last season we were looking more at nullifying other teams and trying to get results that way.

“We just have focus on what we are good at, and everyone is ready and raring to go now.

“We’ve had a bit of break and now the players are itching to get back into action, and are looking forward to the game and getting back to business.

“Competition for starting places is keen and whoever gets a shirt will be looking to cement their place in the side.”