Daisy Hill suffered a night to forget on Friday evening when they fell to a 6-0 defeat away to Atherton LR in the North West Counties League First Division North.

First-half goals from Tom Romano, Joe Bacon and Owen Green gave the home side a three-goal advantage at the break, with Romano also missing a penalty.

And once Harvey Sample added a fourth before the hour mark, it was a case of damage limitation for Daisy thereafter.

Successfully converted penalties from Christian Mukoko and Sample rounded off a good night’s work for LR, inflicting Daisy’s worst league defeat in almost six years.

Daisy manager Lee Hill was left looking for reasons why his side - who went into the game having kept clean sheets in three of the previous four games - had imploded so badly.

“It’s inexplicable really, we had prepared well, but sometimes you just can’t account for what happens when the lads step across the white line,” said Hill.

“It was a difficult watch from the start, and right from the first minute I felt we were taking too many risks and got punished early on.

“We were never really in the game, but we did create three clear chances, two of them early in the first half, and we weren’t clinical enough.

“Four of the goals came from mistakes on our part, and on top of that. to concede three penalties in one game is really disappointing.

“We know LR are an effective side, but we weren’t brave on the ball, and didn’t get on the ball in right areas, like we normally do.

“Once LR went three and four up, they really got some momentum going, and when that happens it’s very difficult to try and swing that back in our favour.

“It’s a very disappointing result to take, but sometimes you just have to lick your wounds, take your medicine and move on from a tough night, and look to put it right in the next game.”

LR opened the scoring in the third minute from the first clear chance of the game, with Daisy giving away possession cheaply in the middle of the park, and an incisive pass from Sample sent Romano through on goal, and he rounded Daisy keeper Morgan Newns before rolling the ball into the unguarded net.

Daisy’s first chance came when Ryan Lockett raced down the left and tested LR keeper Bickerstaffe with an angled shot that the keeper gathered safely.

On 13 minutes, LR spurned a chance to double the lead from the penalty spot when Romano’s kick was well saved by Newns diving low to his right.

But the respite was only temporary as Bacon made it 2-0 in the 19th minute, when he reacted quickly to race through on goal and beat Newns with a shot into the far corner.

Straight from the restart, Daisy almost hit back with Sam Twist outpacing the LR back line to fire in a shot that just missed the target.

As the half wore on, Jake O’Brien and Abdullah Zaffar tested Bickerstaffe with shots from outside the box, and Kaiden Barlow had an effort from 30 yards that flew wide.

But any hopes of a revival were largely snuffed out seven minutes from half time, when Green’s beautifully struck shot from 25 yards beat Newns to put LR three up at the break.

Just before the hour mark, LR added a fourth with a well-worked move down the right leading to Bacon squaring for Sample to tap in from close range.

With 16 minutes remaining, LR substitute Mukoko was sent tumbling under a challenge in the box, and the referee pointed to the spot, with Mukoko dusting himself down before dispatching the ball past Newns for LR’s fifth of the evening.

Four minutes from time, a good night was rounded off for LR with a sixth goal, again from the penalty spot, although the award was only given after the referee had consulted with his assistant.

Sample stepped up to slot home his second of the game, and complete a victory for his side that maintains their 100-per-cent home record this season, and also moves them to the top of the North West Counties League First Division North table.

Daisy Hill are back in action tomorrow when they travel to face Burscough in the Macron Challenge Cup (7.45pm), and boss Hill believes the game offers a good opportunity to put Friday’s performance behind them.

“I think it’s good that we have the chance to bounce back in a cup game, and get away from the league, especially as it’s against opponents from a higher division,” said Hill.

“It’s a free hit and a chance to get back out there and put Friday behind us, and with the game being played on a 4G pitch, that should suit us, too.”