Daisy Hill’s interest in the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy was ended at the first hurdle when they fell to a 4-1 defeat at Euxton Villa in the first round last night.

After Jack Wyers-Roebuck opened the scoring for Euxton, Daisy levelled with a terrific free-kick from captain Jake O’Brien, but a fine finish from Euxton’s Ethan Danku four minutes before the break gave the home side a half-time lead.

Both sides enjoyed a share of possession and chances after the break, but two goals in the last 10 minutes from Euxton’s George Davies and Joel Darley booked their place in the next round.

The final score was harsh on Daisy, who played their part in an entertaining cup tie, and afterwards manager Lee Hill admitted missed chances had cost them dearly.

“I thought it was a really good game of football for about 65-70 minutes and then we just got a bit sloppy in our own third and in our own box,” said Hill.

“We had chances in the first half when we were a goal down, and when it was 2-1, and I thought for the first hour we created the better chances and they were good chances, too.

“When you don’t take those, you get punished and that’s what happened, because Euxton Villa are a good side.

“At half time the message was to keep doing what we were doing, as we were unlucky to go in 2-1 down. It was one of the best 45 minutes we’ve had so far this season in terms of looking after the ball.

“We dominated possession in the first half, our ball speed was really good, but in the second half it opened up a bit more, we started going longer and that opened up gaps and left us vulnerable to the counter attack.

“We spoke afterwards about the goals we lost too, there weren’t glaring mistakes but we could have done better in certain moments in the build-up.

“I don’t think it was a 4-1 game, and I felt there were times when we were on top and times when they were on top.”

Daisy created the first two clear chances of the game, with Glenn Matthews heading over from O’Brien’s corner, and then good work from Sam Twist down the right set up a shooting chance for Kaiden Barlow, but his well-struck shot was gathered by Euxton keeper Oliver Lombard at the second attempt

But it was Euxton who opened the scoring on 20 minutes, when Wyers-Roebuck got on the end of corner curled in to the far post and buried a header past Morgan Newns.

Daisy hit back and after Barlow had a goalbound shot deflected for a corner, the striker’s powerful running won the free-kick that led to Daisy levelling nine minutes from half time.

After Barlow had been flattened by a clumsy challenge 25 yards from goal, captain O’Brien curled a terrific free-kick over the wall and past the static keeper for a fine equalising goal.

Matthews then set up Barlow for another effort that narrowly missed the target, before Daisy were hit with a sucker punch four minutes from half time.

Their back line was caught out by a ball over the top and the lively Danku raced through to deliver a fine finish into the far corner.

The final action of the first half saw Declan Baldwin try his luck from the halfway line after spotting the keeper out of position, but his shot drifted wide.

Five minutes into the second half a poor defensive header from a corner set up another shooting chance for Barlow, but his shot cleared the bar.

The game then fell into a period where both sides enjoyed spells of possession, but it was Euxton who struck a killer blow 11 minutes from time with a third goal.

A break down the right set up a shooting chance for Darley that was initially blocked by Matthews, but the ball fell kindly for Davies who drilled a low shot inside the near post.

Four minutes later Euxton completed the scoring with a fourth goal, when Darley shot home at the second attempt after his first effort had been blocked by Newns.

Daisy are back in action on Saturday when they host Lower Breck in the FA Vase second qualifying round (3pm).