Hill lost his words after Daisy was humiliated by Atherton LR

First-half goals from Tom Romano, Joe Bacon and Owen Green gave the home side a three-goal lead at half-time, with Romano also missing a penalty.

And when Harvey Sample added a fourth before the hour mark, it was a case of damage control for Daisy after that.

Successfully converted penalties from Christian Mukoko and Sample rounded off a good night’s work for LR, handing Daisy its worst league defeat in almost six years.

Daisy manager Lee Hill continued to search for reasons why his side – who went into the match having kept a clean sheet in three of the previous four matches – had imploded so badly.

“It’s actually inexplicable, we prepared well, but sometimes you just can’t explain what happens when the boys step over the white line,” Hill said.

“It was a difficult match from the start and from the first minute I felt like we took too many risks and were punished early on.

“We were never really in the game but we created three clear chances, two of them early in the first half, and we weren’t clinical enough.

“Four of the goals came from mistakes on our part, and what’s more. It’s really disappointing to get three penalties in one game.

“We know that LR is an effective team, but we were not brave on the ball and did not get the ball in the right places, as we normally do.

“Once LR went up three and four, they really got some momentum, and when that happens it’s very difficult to try to turn that back in our favor.

“It’s a very disappointing result, but sometimes you just have to lick your wounds, take your medicine and move on after a tough night, and try to put it right in the next game.”

LR opened the scoring in the third minute from the first clear chance of the match, with Daisy giving away possession cheaply in the center of the park, and a sharp pass from Sample set Romano through on goal, and he rounded Daisy keeper Morgan Newns finished earlier. roll the ball into the unguarded net.

Daisy’s first chance came when Ryan Lockett ran down the left and tested LR keeper Bickerstaffe with an angled shot which the keeper collected safely.

After 13 minutes, LR spurned a chance to double their lead from the penalty spot when Romano’s kick was well saved by Newns who dived low to the right.

But the reprieve was only temporary as Bacon made it 2-0 in the 19th minute when he reacted quickly by racing through on goal and beating Newns with a shot into the far corner.

Straight from the restart, Daisy almost hit back, while Sam Twist outpaced the LR backline and fired a shot that just missed the target.

As the half progressed, Jake O’Brien and Abdullah Zaffar tested Bickerstaffe with shots from outside the box, and Kaiden Barlow had an effort from 30 yards that flew wide.

But any hopes of a revival were largely dashed seven minutes after the break when Green’s superb shot from 25 yards beat Newns to put LR three ahead at the break.

Just before the hour mark, LR added a fourth with a well-worked move to the right, squaring Bacon for Sample to tap in from close range.

With 16 minutes to go, LR substitute Mukoko was tumbled under a challenge in the penalty area, and the referee pointed to the spot, as Mukoko dusted himself off before sending the ball past Newns for LR’s fifth of the evening.

Four minutes before the end, a good evening for LR was rounded off with a sixth goal, again from the penalty spot, although the award was only presented after the referee had consulted with his assistant.

Sample stepped up to get his second of the match and complete a win for his side which maintains their 100 percent home record this season, as well as taking them to the top of the North West Counties League First Division North table.

Daisy Hill is back in action tomorrow when they travel to face Burscough in the Macron Challenge Cup (7.45pm), and boss Hill believes the match provides a good opportunity to put Friday’s performance behind them.

“I think it’s good that we have the chance to get back into a cup game and get away from the competition, especially because it’s against higher division opponents,” said Hill.

“It’s a free hit and a chance to get back and put Friday behind us. Now that the match is being played on a 4G pitch, that should suit us too.”