Daisy Hill’s first game in 2025 in the North West Counties League First Division North ended in disappointment when they lost 3-2 to Thornton Cleveleys at the Plumb Factory Stadium on Saturday.

In an incident-packed game, a Jake O’Brien penalty and a Finlay Stafford strike had put Daisy two goals up inside 34 minutes.

But once Archie Lang pulled a goal back for Thornton Cleveleys on the stroke of half time with a spectacular 25-yarder, the game began to turn in the visitors’ favour.

Daisy keeper Morgan Newns made a great double save from a penalty straight after the restart, but the respite was only temporary as within 12 minutes the visitors had taken the lead with goals from Ben Duffield and Luke Noble, and went on to secure the win.

Daisy midfielder Sam Howell admitted afterwards the players only had themselves to blame for the result.

“We were completely flat for the whole second half and it was a really disappointing performance from us,” said Howell.

“In the first 35 minutes we went 2-0 up, we were playing very well, and could have had three or four, and you have got to put these chances away and put the game to bed, but we didn’t.

“We dropped off in the last 10 minutes, they nicked a goal just on half time and they went in at the break full of confidence.

“At the break, we know the goal they scored right on half time would give them a massive boost and it did. They came out flying and we just had to weather that storm for 10 or 15 minutes and then go on and play our game again.

“We had enough chances in the first half to put the game to bed, but we made too many mistakes all over the pitch, myself included, and we let them back into the game and go on and win it.

“It’s all the more frustrating because Thornton Cleveleys’ run of form has been really poor, and we spoke in midweek and before the game saying we can’t let it happen they bounce back against us, and that’s what has happened, which is really disappointing.

“It comes down to mentality of players, and every single one of us has to take responsibility for that result.

“The management team and coaching staff gave us everything we needed to be ready for the game, and unfortunately we just didn’t perform.

“This result has to be a reality check, and this group of players have to take responsibility for that result. We have to kick on now, and make we make this wrong a right in the next game.

“We have to go into training on Tuesday and Thursday and get the mentality right for our next game on Saturday against Darwen.”

It was undoubtedly a result that few would have predicted after watching Daisy dominate the first half.

After only two minutes the hosts were unlucky not to take the lead when Jacob Ridings pinched the ball off the toes of a defender, and set up Stafford for a shot that was brilliantly blocked by the outstretched boot of Thornton keeper Mark Smith.

The lively Stafford was prominent in all the early attacking play, and after just failing to connect with a Declan Baldwin cross into the box, he won the penalty that gave the Daisy the lead on 26 minutes, when he was tripped just inside the box as he collected a pass from Kaiden Barlow.

Daisy skipper O’Brien kept up his 100-per-cent record from the spot this season with a cool finish low to the keeper’s bottom left.

On 33 minutes, Stafford was again denied by a good save from Smith when he took a good first touch from a Regan Brown ball over the top before firing in a shot. But a minute later he did double Daisy’s advantage with his third goal in successive games.

The creator was Alex Dodd, who played a neat through ball down the left channel and Stafford collected the ball, cut inside the covering defender and smashed a shot high into the roof of the net from 12 yards.

Daisy continued to press forward and within two minutes Smith in the visiting goal was in action once again, this time saving from Barlow.

It was a first half of almost total control from Daisy, with goalkeeper Newns a spectator for most of the opening 45 minutes, but he was beaten for the first time in the last action of the half, when visiting full-back Lang picked up the ball 25 yards from goal and unleashed a cracking shot that flew high into the net.

The goal undoubtedly gave the visitors a lift, and within two minutes of the restart, they spurned a great chance to pull themselves level when they were awarded a penalty, with Howell tripping Jacob Aspinall in the box.

Noble stepped up to take the kick, but was denied by a great double save from Newns, who blocked the striker’s first effort and also his follow-up.

However, it was a warning Daisy failed to heed, and on 52 minutes Duffield equalised for the visitors when he tapped home from close range after a good left-wing run from Aspinall.

It got even worse as the game approached the hour mark, with Noble atoning for his penalty miss with a well-struck shot into the far corner of the net to put Thornton Cleveleys ahead for the first time.

As well as the blow of conceding the goal, Daisy also had to contend with goalkeeper Newns being yellow carded and sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes, with his protests for an infringement in the build-up to the goal being deemed as dissent by the referee.

O’Brien took over in goal for the 10-minute period, but was untroubled as Daisy kept play in the opposition half in their attempts to get back in the game.

However, despite Daisy enjoying plenty of possession, and pushing forward at every opportunity, the visiting defence held firm, although Ridings was unlucky not to level the scores with an effort deep into stoppage time, that fizzed across the face of goal and narrowly missed the far post.

Daisy are back in action in the North West Counties League First Division North again on Saturday, when they host Darwen at the Plumb Factory Stadium.