Daisy Hill turned in one of their best away performances of the season in the North West Counties League First Division North on Saturday, with a 2-1 win at promotion-chasing Droylsden.

First-half goals from Jacob Ridings and a Kaiden Barlow penalty were the highlight of a fine all-round 90 minutes from Daisy, whose victory ended Droylsden’s unbeaten home league record, and coach Ryan Fitzpatrick was full of praise for the squad after the game.

“We went into detail this week about how we’d set up for this game, and the game plan worked 100 per cent,” said Fitzpatrick.

“We gave the lads the game plan and they pushed on and executed it.

“We knew Droylsden were very regimented and that they like to play out from the back, so we looked to press them up high and see if we could make them make mistakes, and that’s exactly what happened.

“Droylsden have some quality up front, but they came up against our defence who were outstanding, and off the ball, the work rate from all the lads was exceptional.

“It would be hard to pick a man of the match for us, although young Shep (Liam Sheppard), for a 17-year-old doing what he’s doing at this level, was superb.

“But all the lads, including the ones who came off the bench, were sensational.

“The celebrations in the changing room at the end said it all, but we know there is a lot more to do.

“I think the lads are buying in to what we are trying to do, and they just need to keep the consistency going for the rest of the season now.

“Not only do we want to finish the season on a high, we want to start setting higher expectations for ourselves.

“We’ve got AFC Blackpool at home next Saturday, so we get back in training this week and go again.”

It was a day that went well for Daisy almost right from the start, beginning with the opening goal after just five minutes.

The architect was the lively Sheppard, who pinched the ball off the toes of Droylsden’s Liam Moran before laying a perfect pass into the path of overlapping full-back Ridings, who drilled a low shot across the keeper into the far corner.

Daisy could have doubled their advantage with two chances in the space of a minute on the half-hour mark, first when Scott Johnston lost his marker to head just wide from a Charlie Roberts cross, and within moments Fin Stafford just lost out in a chase for the ball with Droylsden keeper Jordan Latham.

The pace of Sheppard was causing the home defence plenty of problems, and he was unlucky when he beat the covering full-back and raced into the box, but his cut-back just eluded the incoming Barlow.

With eight minutes remaining of the first half, Droylsden drew level when good work down the left by Fuad Kasali set up a chance for Harry Forshaw, which was blasted home from eight yards.

But almost straight from the restart, Daisy hit back with a second goal, this time from the penalty spot, with the referee having no hesitation in awarding the spot-kick after Sheppard was unceremoniously brought down by a desperate lunge from home centre-half Elvis Amoakwa.

Barlow stepped up to coolly slot home and restore Daisy’s lead.

Four minutes before the break, Daisy’s Mussab Benaly was unlucky with a well-struck shot that just missed the target, as Daisy ended the half on the front foot.

After the break, Droylsden enjoyed the better of the possession and territory in the opening stages of the second half, but made little impression on a well-organised Daisy defence, aside of one moment of concern when good work by Fusali down the left led to a cross into the box that just evaded the incoming Neilson Van.

As the half wore on, and the home side pushed forward in search of an equaliser, they were always susceptible to the counter attack, and 14 minutes from time, Daisy came close to adding a third goal.

A long ball out of defence from Nathan Bartram-Conway caught out the Droylsden back line and sent Luke Nicholls in on goal, but the striker’s well-struck effort narrowly missed the far post.

The efficiency of the Daisy back line restricted Droylsden to long-range shots on goal in the closing stages, which were comfortably dealt with by keeper Morgan Newns, although he had to make one smart stop to deny Kusali six minutes from time.

But Daisy saw the game out safely, with some excellent game management negotiating the six minutes of stoppage time safely, to seal an excellent all-round performance and result.

Daisy’s next game in the North West Counties League First Division North is this Saturday when they host AFC Blackpool at the Plumb Factory Stadium (3pm).