FIRST DIVISION NORTH - CONNOR HUGHES (DAISY HILL)

Daisy Hill captain Connor Hughes finished off last season in fine style, with a rich vein of form that earned him the NWCFL First Division North Player of the Month award for March 2022. He he has continued his impressive form in the opening two months of season 2022-23, and has now won this award for the second time.

During September, Connor scored six goals in four games, and played a real captain’s role throughout the month, leading from the front as Daisy won three of their four games and suffered a narrow defeat in the other. That was enough to win them the Club of the Month award.

In the first game of the month at home to Chadderton, Connor opened the scoring when he took a great first touch on a long ball before slotting the ball past the advancing keeper. Then, with the game delicately poised at 2-1 in Daisy's favour he sealed victory with three minutes remaining, side footing home from 12 yards for his second goal of the afternoon.

In the second game of the month, Daisy fell two goals behind at Steeton before staging a great comeback to lead 3-2 just after the hour. Connor was the architect for the third goal, winning a chase for a ball down the right, before ghosting past the covering full back and cutting back a perfect pass into the path of Jordan Lazenbury, who side footed home from six yards. As the game moved into stoppage time, Connor secured the points with Daisy’s fourth goal, when he finished off a counter attack with a cool finish past the keeper.

The team’s one defeat of the month came in the third game at home to Ilkley Town, who headed back to Yorkshire with a 3-2 win. However, Connor had opened the scoring after just six minutes, when he collected a through ball and rifled an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net. With the game delicately poised in the second half, Connor was also unlucky to see a well struck shot brilliantly blocked by the Steeton keeper.

The final game of the month saw arguably the best win, with Daisy winning 3-1 away at NPL side Clitheroe in the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy. Connor scored twice with well struck efforts from inside the box to establish a two goal lead early in the second half, that was the foundation on which the win was built.

In addition to his goalscoring exploits, as club captain Connor leads by example with his commitment, his professional approach and his consistently high levels of performances during games. He has become a talisman for Daisy Hill, and is a man who is respected by everyone at the club.

Congratulations to Connor and to all at Daisy Hill.