Daisy Hill’s interest in the FA Vase ended at the first hurdle, when they lost a penalty shootout after a thrilling 3-3 draw with Liverpool side Lower Breck on Saturday.

On a sunny afternoon in Merseyside, Daisy looked down and out at half time after losing two goals in the opening 15 minutes, and then conceding a third after skipper Connor Hughes had pulled a goal back.

But a terrific second-half display saw Connor J Hughes reduce the arrears early in the second half, and a thumping header from Kieran Nolan tied the game with 10 minutes remaining.

With no further scoring, the tie had to be decided on penalties, and it was the Merseysiders who emerged victorious, winning the shoot out 4-3 and leaving Daisy ruing missed chances and slack defending which cost them dearly.

Daisy manager Leighton Mills could not hide his frustration afterwards.

“We just don’t start well at the moment. It takes an absolute grilling in the dressing room at half time before we start playing,” said Mills.

“We can’t put our finger on why that is. We just didn’t turn up in the first half.

“We changed personnel at half time, and I thought Jamie Ramwell and Sam Ogundere were brilliant when they came on.

“Once again, we gave three bad goals away, every goal we conceded was from a mistake. It’s so frustrating. I just don’t know how we as a management team can rectify that.

“Then we came out in the second half, got the bit between our teeth, and there was only one team in it.

“We scored great goals, we battered them in the second half, they barely had a shot, and we had good chances to go and win it.

“But we’ve drawn the game, and from there it’s just a lottery with penalties.

“I don’t think overall we should have lost that game of football.

“But at the least one positive that came out of it was that we have shown that we can mix it with a team from the level above, in the North West Counties Premier Division.”