Daisy Hill missed out on the chance to move into second place in the North West Counties League First Division North, after losing 1-0 at Euxton Villa on Saturday.

A goal in the fourth minute from Euxton’s Ian Billington turned out to be decisive in a game that flowed from end to end throughout, with both sides passing up numerous other chances to get on the scoresheet.

Daisy will look back at a missed penalty from Jake O’Brien and a Jake Parker shot that hit the post as first-half opportunities that could have made a difference to the final outcome, but manager Leighton Mills was disappointed after the game with the overall performance.

“It was a game of two halves really,” said Mills. “We could have had four goals by half time, we created enough chances but so did they, to be fair.

“We missed a penalty and hit the post, and their keeper made a great save from a header, but in the second half we didn’t create enough. I don’t think we tested their keeper at all in the second half.

“To be honest when we missed the penalty, I did wonder it was going to be one of those afternoons where nothing was going to fall for us.

“You did need a bit of luck, which they got with the goal. Jacob Ridings slipped and let their player get a cross in.

“If he hadn’t slipped, he could have stood up and closed down and maybe the goal wouldn’t have happened. But these are the fine margins that you get in games.

“We made substitutions in the second half to try and get a bit more creativity on there, and be more direct, but it just didn’t happen. Once Connor Hughes went off injured, we didn’t really create anything.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game, but while I thought quality wise we were the better side, for attitude and desire they were better than us.

“They have a lot of players who work hard, and they have got quality up front which will cause teams problems.

“They play to their strengths, playing a long ball in behind and that’s where they caused us the most problems all afternoon.”

The game exploded into life straight from the kick off, with Euxton scoring what proved to be the only goal of the game in the fourth minute.

The move began on halfway when Euxton left-back Joshua Briggs went on a storming run down the left wing, tracked by Daisy’s Jacob Ridings.

As Briggs checked inside on the edge of the penalty area, Ridings slipped, allowing Briggs time to size up targets from his cross, and he picked out the unmarked Ian Billington at the far post who had a simple tap in from close range.

Daisy hit back and after Connor Hughes had a goal bound shot blocked by a defender, Parker was unlucky to see his shot from the edge of the box hit the post and rebound back into the hands of Euxton keeper Joshua Brooks.

A minute later though, Daisy were awarded a penalty when Jordan Hussey was bundled over in the box as he challenged for a cross from Kieran Nolan.

However, regular penalty taker O’Brien was denied by a fine save by Euxton keeper Brooks, who guessed correctly.

The home side held out to secure an important win that moves them into second, with Daisy three points behind in third.