Daisy Hill booked their place in the semi-final of the Atherton Charity Cup with a hard fought 2-1 win against Bolton County at the Plumb Factory Stadium on Monday night.

A goal from Sam Twist on the stroke of half time gave Daisy the lead, and Charlie Roberts doubled their advantage with a second goal just before the hour mark.

But a spirited Bolton County side were in no mood for throwing in the towel, and within two minutes Freddie Stevens pulled a goal back to set up an exciting final half hour.

However, Daisy held out to secure the win, although midfielder Declan Baldwin admitted afterwards their opponents from the Manchester League Premier Division had given them a tough night.

“Bolton County came with loads of energy, and made it hard for us,” said Baldwin.

“We struggled a bit early on, they had some good quality and fought really hard, and they made it really difficult for us at times.

“At the end of the day we got the win, and are through into the semi-final and that’s all that matters.

“It was a great goal from Sam (Twist), he worked the ball really well, moved off the defender and then it was a great finish at a very important time of the game when we needed a goal.

“For a neutral it was a great game to watch. Obviously towards the end people start getting a bit tired and gaps started to appear, and it was a bit like a basketball game at times, end to end all the time.

“The main thing we take from tonight is momentum, and keeping the run of wins going is important, going into two cup games next week.”

The game was a lively end-to-end affair from the start, and Daisy created the first chances early on, when both Jacob Ridings and Alex Dodd tested Bolton County keeper Chris Pomfret with shots from the edge of the box.

But the visitors were in no mood to sit back, and after Chris Hough was denied by a good block from Daisy keeper Morgan Newns, he had another goalbound effort deflected away by Sam Glendon at full stretch, amid claims for handball.

The chances continued to be created at both ends, and after Scott Johnston headed wide from a Jake O’Brien free-kick, Daisy keeper Newns was called into action again to deny Hough with a well-struck shot at the end of a good flowing move.

But in the final minute of the first half, Daisy finally made a breakthrough with a well-worked goal.

Good lead up play from Dodd led to him laying the ball into the path of Twist, who drilled a shot past Pomfret from 20 yards to give Daisy a half time lead.

In the early stages of the second half Daisy picked up the pace again, and a long range strike from Declan Baldwin forced Pomfret into a good save, before Kaiden Barlow found the back of the net, only for the goal to be disallowed for a handball in the build-up.

But just before the hour mark, Daisy doubled their lead when Roberts took a good first touch to a ball over the top, before curling a shot into the far corner.

However, Bolton County responded straight away, and when the Daisy defence failed to deal with a free-kick to the far post, Stevens stole in unmarked to side-foot home.

From then on, the game opened up with chances created at both ends, with Roscoe and Roberts coming close for Daisy.

At the other end, an acrobatic effort from Bolton County’s Mal Shareef narrowly missed the target.

A late Ben Unsworth header that was cleared off the line almost gave Daisy a third goal, but in the end they saw the game out safely to progress to a semi-final tie to be played in the spring.

Daisy’s next game is next Monday evening when they host Skelmersdale United in the first round of the Edward Case Cup at the Plumb Factory Stadium (7.45pm).