Daisy Hill will be looking to end November on a positive note when they host Bacup Borough at the Plumb Factory Stadium in the North West Counties League First Division North tomorrow.
With the weather putting paid to last weekend’s scheduled fixture away to Route One Rovers, manager Lee Hill has had two weeks to regroup and focus on this weekend’s fixture, and believes the break may have come at the right time.
“We gave the lads the day off last Saturday, with it being a late morning call off,” said Hill.
“It’s always tempting on the back of defeats to get straight back in and start looking at putting things right, but sometimes it’s good to take the opportunity to take your foot off the gas and reflect.
“So it has been good to have the break, reflect, look at where we need to strengthen and that is what we have done, and have brought some new lads in.
“We’ve brought in Luke Nicholls, from Atherton LR, and Finlay Stafford, who was at Eagley last season, and we had been looking to sign at the start of the season, so when the opportunity arose to bring him in, we took it.
“There are different ways of looking at it, but we have had a couple of good training sessions since last weekend, so I think it was good that we had a little break.”
Tomorrow’s opponents, Bacup Borough, have recovered from a mid-season slump after a bright start, and head into the game having lost just once in their last five games.
With a solid group of experienced players in their ranks, Hill is well aware of the threat they will pose.
“Bacup got off to a flying start and it looked like they were going to be up there all season,” he added. “We know what they are about and what they are likely to do.
“We’ve not beaten them for a few games now, and we know it is going to be a difficult game.
“They have some good players, especially in the forward areas, who are scoring goals and we do need to look at managing what they do.
“Toby Wright is the leading scorer, but they have Joel Booth, too, who I worked with at Clitheroe, and he is a good player who has been scoring for them, too.
“But I think it’s important to look at what we have, too, and we have a good goal threat going forward now.
“Previously we were a bit over-reliant on one or two players, but now we have the players who can get goals from all over the pitch.
“We are missing Declan Baldwin on Saturday, but have everyone else available, so it’s going to be tough picking a squad for the game.”
Supporters are asked to note the kick off for tomorrow’s game at the Plumb Factory Stadium has been moved back an hour to 2pm, due to a floodlighting issue that may not be resolved prior to the weekend.
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