Latest news with #LeeHill
Yahoo
11-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hill eyeing changes after another bad day for Daisy
Daisy Hill are still searching for their first league win of the season in the North West Counties League after going down 2-1 at Ashton Town on Saturday. After Daniel Squires put Ashton ahead midway through the first half, Chad Whyte levelled for Daisy four minutes before half time to send the sides in level at the break. But within a minute of the restart, Noah Inneh struck what proved to be the winner for the home side, and Daisy manager Lee Hill felt afterwards that luck was not on their side over the course of the 90 minutes. 'It was a scrappy game and I think the draw would probably have been a fairer result,' said Hill. 'It was close-fought, could have gone either way, but didn't fall our way, and you can use all the clichés, but when you're struggling for confidence that's what happens. 'It's really difficult to understand why the ball doesn't drop for us, but sometimes it's just the way the way it goes. 'We were getting into good areas, but probably lacking sharpness still, and that little bit of confidence to go at defenders and cause them problems. 'We were going to make a change at half time, but gave the lads the benefit of the doubt to give them a few minutes in the second half. We conceded after 40 seconds, so we made the change straight away, with Lee Grimshaw coming on. 'We are three games in and even though we haven't sort of really hit the form we are capable of, it's still narrow margins that stopped us from picking up more points. 'But these are the games that we targeted to win, against teams that we expect are going to be in around the middle of the table. These were teams where we dropped points last season and we're doing the same again. 'We'll look at making some changes for next weekend. We are three games in, no win, one point from nine so we've got to look at changes.' The game was evenly-contested right from the off, and Daisy had an early scare when a clearance from goalkeeper Morgan Newns was charged down by Ashton's Adam Morris, but the full-back rushed his shot and fired over. Daisy's best chance came a few minutes later when Kaiden Barlow found space on the edge of the box and attempted to play Whyte in on goal but overhit the pass. On 21 minutes, Ashton took the lead when a right-wing cross from Michael Grogan deceived attackers and defenders alike when it bounced awkwardly, but Ashton striker Squires reacted quickly to stoop low and head the ball past Newns from close range. Daisy hit back, and looked to have booked their way back into the game five minutes later when Jacob Ridings was tripped in the box by Ashton's Will Hamilton. Jake O'Brien stepped up to take the penalty but was denied by a fine save from Ashton keeper Kyle Trenerry, who dived low to his left to push the ball away for a corner. When the kick came in, Trenerry was in action again, this time tipping over a header from Gary Basterfield. But four minutes from half time, Daisy were level and Basterfield was involved once more, with a deep cross into the box that was helped on by Barlow into the path of Whyte, who had the simple task of side-footing home at the far post. However, within 40 seconds of the start of the second half, Ashton regained the lead, when a ball out to the right wing found Hamilton in space, and he cut into the box and drove a low shot across the face of goal that was turned in by the unmarked Inneh. Daisy introduced Lee Grimshaw to increase the firepower up front, and on the hour mark, he collected a flick from Whyte and attempted to lob a shot over the Ashton keeper that missed the target. At the midway point of the half, Liam Sheppard teed up Regan Brown for a 20-yard shot that flew just wide, and a minute later a Charlie Roberts corner hit the bar and rebounded to safety as Daisy began to put on some pressure. As the game moved into the closing minutes, Daisy were always vulnerable to the quick counter attack as they pushed forward in search of an equaliser, and they got lucky when a quick break set up a shooting chance for Ashton substitute Michael Howard, but he missed the target form 10 yards with only Newns to beat. In the closing seconds of the game, Basterfield was shown a red card for a challenge on Inneh, and in the ensuing aftermath, Ashton's Alexandre Santos was also dismissed. Daisy are back in action on Saturday in the North West Counties League First Division North, when they travel to Merseyside to face league new boys MSB Woolton.
Yahoo
08-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hill remains upbeat for Daisy once new-look squad settles
Daisy Hill continue their search for a first league win of the season in the North West Counties League First Division North when they make the short trip to face Ashton Town tomorrow (3pm). The first away league fixture of the season comes on the back of two home games that have produced just one point, with an opening day defeat by a single goal against Ashton Athletic being followed by a 2-2 draw against Garstang last Saturday. But Daisy manager Lee Hill insists there is no need for concern, with the new squad members still settling in after a disrupted pre-season build up, due to injury and unavailability. 'We know we're behind due to a stop-start pre-season, and we're feeling the effects of that a little bit, but we are where we are,' said Hill. 'But we know the qualities in the squad, and while we've got to sharpen the tools in and around the box, we just need to get game time together, as this is almost an extended pre-season for us as it is. 'We've had things go against us, too. Watching the video back of the Garstang game, we had a goal disallowed that should have stood, and their equaliser was offside and shouldn't have stood. 'That's the difference between winning and drawing the game, and if we'd taken four points from six, you're asking different questions, so it's frustrating. They are the things you can't control. 'But, after taking one point from six, you know you have to start looking at other options, so we will be looking at bringing some new faces in on Saturday.' Ashton Town go into the game with an identical record to Daisy, a draw and a defeat in their opening two games, the loss coming in an explosive encounter at Steeton on Monday evening, and Hill believes the circumstances surrounding that game, which saw several red cards shown, will have little impact on the game this weekend. Hill added: 'Although Ashton lost on Monday night at Steeton, with four red cards in that game, two for each side, it's a result to take with a pinch of salt, and it probably doesn't have any effect on their team really for Saturday. 'I think Ashton are in a similar position to us. 'They've retained a good number of players from last season and added a couple to the squad as well. So they're probably still gelling, still finding their feet. 'But we're still waiting for that performance that we know we can produce, and with each game we've looked better each time. 'Games between us and them in recent years have generally been close and well-contested games, and I expect nothing but the same again on Saturday.'
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hill happy with Daisy's display in final friendly
Daisy Hill rounded off their build-up to the start of the North West Counties League First Division North season with a comfortable 5-1 win away at Pause United on Saturday. On a showery afternoon in Morecambe, Daisy had built up a three-goal lead at the break courtesy of Regan Brown, Kaiden Barlow and Dean Singleton, and although the hosts pulled a goal back early in the second half, two further goals from successfully-converted penalties by Jake O'Brien and Liam Sheppard rounded off a good afternoon for Lee Hill's men. The Daisy boss said afterwards the game had worked out as he had hoped. 'It was a good workout today, and really pleasing to see some of the things we've been working on in training play out in the game,' said Hill. 'The lads have really bought into what we're trying to do which is great to see. 'We knew we would see more of the ball than we did against Padiham on Tuesday night. So it was about using the ball better, getting certain players higher up the pitch in areas that they can affect the game, and also finishing chances which we did. 'It was also good to get Liam Sheppard back, Nathan (Bartram-Conway) got minutes and so did Jack Iley. 'So overall, a really good day that allows us to go away and fine tune a few bits now.' Daisy began the game well, and after Alex Dodd had a good effort saved by the Pause keeper, Will Kitchen, they took the lead after 14 minutes. Dodd was involved once more, starting the move with a pass that played Sheppard through on goal, and he squared into the path of Brown, who rifled home into the far corner. Seven minutes later, Barlow doubled Daisy's lead with a cracking volley from an O'Brien cross, and although a cross-shot from home striker Zach Clark two minutes later almost caught out Daisy keeper Morgan Newns, it was the 34th minute before he was called on to make a save, diving low down to his left. After Brown's strong run into the box set up a shooting chance for Barlow that just missed the target, on the stroke of half time Daisy bagged their third goal of the afternoon. The Pause United defence failed to clear a beautifully whipped in corner by O'Brien, and Dean Singleton had the simple task of finishing from close range. Three minutes into the second half Pause United pulled a goal back from the penalty spot, but within two minutes Daisy had a penalty of their own, when a strong run from Jacob Ridings was halted when he was tripped in the box, and O'Brien made no mistake from the spot to restore the three-goal lead. Barlow, Sheppard and Brown all had efforts saved by Pause United keeper Kitchen, before Sheppard set up Ridings for a shot that cleared the bar. But six minutes from time, Daisy added a fifth goal from another penalty, awarded when Barlow was brought down in the box, and Sheppard stepped to make no mistake from the spot. Daisy are back in action this Saturday when they host Ashton Athletic at the Ginge Power Stadium, in the opening game of the season in the North West Counties League First Division North.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hill wants Daisy to fast forward preparations at Pause
Daisy Hill complete their build up to the start of the North West Counties League season with a trip up to Morecambe to face Pause United tomorrow (3pm). Lee Hill's men fell to the first defeat of their pre-season schedule on Tuesday evening when they lost 4-1 at North West Counties Premier Division side Padiham, but the Daisy boss says it was a useful game that presented some fresh challenges for his new-look squad. 'The Padiham game worked out how we expected,' said Hill. 'We had more time out of possession than in possession, and it was a game all about being organised and difficult to break down. 'Padiham are a big physical side who just missed out on promotion last season, and the lads stood up well to the challenge. 'I thought the scoreline was a little bit harsh, we missed some decent chances and on another night it could have been different. 'But we got some positive things out of the game and the lads gave a good account of themselves.' After a game against a side from a division above, the squad will now face opponents in Pause United from two leagues below, and Hill explained the reasoning behind the choice of Saturday's game as the last before the league season. 'There's some links between the two clubs and it's been good for us to get a mix of opposition from different levels in the past few weeks,' he said. 'They are a West Lancashire League side, a solid side who have just won their league. 'We played a higher level side in Padiham on Tuesday, where we had a chance to work on how we set up out of possession. 'On Saturday, hopefully we can be a little bit more possession-based, and bring into the game some of the possession play we have been working on in training.'
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hill eyeing more of the same from Daisy
Daisy Hill travel over to West Yorkshire tomorrow to take on Route One Rovers in the second of their warm-up games building up to the start of the league season on July 26. The sides have faced one another in the North West Counties League in the past two season, but with Rovers having moved their home ground to the Myra Shay Ground in Bradford over the summer, they will now compete in the Northern Counties East League in the coming season. Advertisement Daisy got off to a winning start in their opening pre-season game, winning 2-1 at Prestwich Heys on Tuesday night, and manager Lee Hill is expecting another close-fought encounter. 'Route One are a team at our level in the non-league pyramid and they are a good side,' said Hill. 'They are energetic and fit and it's a chance for us to show we can match that, and a game we'll look forward to. 'It's going to be a different type of game than we had on Tuesday, and it's good to get those types of games in. 'But although we know the opposition we will take the same approach as we did on Tuesday and apply those same principles. 'We got off to a good start on Tuesday, and now on Saturday it's all about building on that.' Kick off at the Myra Shay Ground is 3pm.
