Schools' Soccer BOLTON Under 15s are on target to finish in top spot in the Northern Merit League.

The local youngsters maintain their challenge when they held Blackburn to a goalless draw in their league match at Plessington on Saturday.

The game was an evenly contested affair with chances falling at either end but neither side could add the finishing touches to some fine approach play.

Lewis Hulme (Turton), Sam Garner (Canon Slade) and Nicky Adams (Sharples), who was making his debut, all went close for Bolton but they had to settle for a point.

Bolton will now need to earn at least a point in their final league match against Warrington at Hacken Lane on Saturday to make certain of making it into the play offs.

Meanwhile, Bury Under 14s failed to win a match at the English Schools' FA Festival of Football on the Isle of Wight.

Bury started their Festival programme with a 3-1 reverse against a previously unbeaten Sheffield side.

Sheffield won all four games at the Festival last season and they were comfortable winners after a slow start in this season's get together.

Danny Reet and Jason Wray gave Sheffield a 2-0 lead but Bury hit back through Oliver McGee before Reet clinched victory with his second of the game.

Goals from Carl Williams and Ashley Ward couldn't prevent Bury from going down 6-2 to East Riding in their next match but they fared better against the Isle of Wight holding the islanders to a 3-3 draw.

But the local lads suffered another defeat in their last match going down 4-1 to Coventry.