ATHERTON LR made a winning return to action after a month's lay-off LR with a long-awaited derby victory over North West Counties Division One neighbours Daisy Hill on Friday nightl.

Daisy Hill had taken the honours on three previous occasions this season but a strike late in the first half by full-back Joe Fielding eventually proved the difference and saw Ross McNair's team make it successive victories and clean sheets in 2015.

LR had Danny Smith making a welcome return to Crilly Park and forming a lively understanding with Jon Stephenson up front, whilst the home defence proved resolute to deny Daisy a meaningful sight of goal in the opening forty five minutes. At the other end LR enjoyed plenty of possession and attractive build-up play but it took some time for them to test debutant goalkeeper Jon Hartley. Stephenson was denied a run on goal by a fine sliding tackle by Daisy skipper Craig Naylor whilst Smith almost capitalised on a ball over the top, nudging the ball past the goalkeeper but as he ran round to tap home he was shut out by the covering fullback Jordan Hussey. In what became something of a running theme Hartley was as much troubled by his defenders' back-passes as one from Naylor took a wicked bobble and left the keeper red faced as he air-kicked and the ball bounced behind for a corner. Matty Davies finally brought him into action in more conventional fashion as he showed great technique to create the opportunity to strike on goal from outside the area, the keeper diving to his right to parry the ball. Some good work by Tom Booth then created the opportunity for Ash Farlow but the fullback fired high over the bar from inside the area, but in the closing minutes of the half Farlow's defensive colleague Fielding made the breakthrough, picking up Daisy's clearance of his own corner and from wide on the right curling the ball into the box and photogenically kissing the underside of the bar and bouncing down and into the back of the net.

Daisy had offered little in the first half but they were a different proposition after the break, with substitutes Kahmori Bragman and Kemba Bejan proving influential, and it was the latter - a long-striding midfielder - who called Charlie Dorsey into action as his precise first time shot from the edge of the box was clawed away by Dorsey diving low to his right. The LR keeper then emerged on top in a one-on-one with Daisy's Andrew Buckley as he blocked the striker's shot with his legs and was again in action to preserve Laburnums' lead, blocking Jake Foster's shot from the edge of the box and then smothering Craig Farnworth's shot as the visitors piled on the pressure. LR stood firm though and almost had a second with the final play of the game, Hartley's kicking again suspect as the keeper played a pass straight to Davies and the LR man racing through on goal, hurdling the challenge of the fullback and then chipping the stranded keeper only to see Naylor make a sensational recovery, flying through the air to head the ball off the line.

On Saturday LR host Chadderton, 3pm