DAISY Hill may appear destined for a mid-table finish but club officials say there is better to come from them next season.

Even three victories in their final three North West Counties Division One games probably will not be enough for Daisy to reach the play-offs, but there is hope they can keep the current squad together and see a big improvement next season.

“We’re optimistic, looking at how well we’ve done against the top six this season,” said manager Craig Thomas ahead of their fixture at Stockport Town tomorrow.

“We made a poor start and we were leaking goals after we lost a few players to various clubs last summer.

“Curtis Cummins went to Runcorn Town and Dave Parker and Liam Davies went playing in the Australian League.

“They’re all back and have performed well for us. Daniel Gregory is another we missed, he’s been ill for some time but he’s come back strongly too.

“A lot of those lads have come back and we think we’ve got a good squad here now. We'd leaked a few goals earlier on so, even though we've improved and had a few clean sheets recently, our goal difference isn't the best.

“I don’t think all the results elsewhere will go our way as we need them to but I’m looking for us to have a say in the play-offs over the last three games.

“A lot of players have said they’ll be staying so if we can retain them, a play-off place is definitely the target next year.”

After their trip to Stockport the Daisies will host play-off contenders Cheadle Town before concluding the season at Bacup Borough, a side with games in hand that could overtake the teams above them to snatch a place in the top six.

Atherton LR, whose last outing was a 4-2 defeat to Daisy Hill last Monday, have no fixture tomorrow. Second-bottom Rovers’ next match is on Wednesday, when they visit Litherland, who will also still be hoping to climb into the play-off places.

In the Premier Division, third-placed Atherton Collieries host AFC Blackpool tomorrow. That match comes two days after last night’s 2-2 draw at second-placed Colne, a game Atherton will perhaps feel they should have won.

Ben Hardcastle had given Colls a 15th-minute lead, drilling his 20-yard shot through a crowded penalty area.

In the second half two Colne players were shown red cards within five minutes of each other, Jay Hart was dismissed for an off-the-ball altercation and shortly after Dean Stott, Colne's last defender, was ordered off for his foul on Jordan Cover.

Despite the numerical advantage, Colls conceded an equaliser 12 minutes from time, Spencer Jordan's fine individual effort ensuring the points were shared, a result that made table-toppers Runcorn Linnets the night's real winners.