Bury Under 15s have been given a tough local derby against Salford in the 3rd Round of the English Schools' Wizards Trophy.

The Bury lads have had a magnificent start to the season winning their first five matches before going down 1-0 to Blackburn in a challenge match last week.

Long serving official Alan Smith, who managed the first ever Bury side to the national title in 1996, is in control again after putting the team together at the end of last season.

Smith explained, 'We had no teacher to run the Under 14s last season so I stepped in and along with Under 15s manager Mike Kay put together a side for the annual trip to the Isle of Wight Festival of Football.

Mike has now left Bury to teach in Tameside and noone else has stepped in to take the team so I decided to come out of retirement for another season.'

And the Bury lads have responded in style with five magnificent wins which has seen them into the 3rd Round of the national inter association competition.

It looks set to be a thrilling cup encounter with Salford, who won the trophy in 2000, also hoping for another extended run this time round.

But they have been having a tough time this season with just two wins from their five matches played.

Meanwhile, at individual schools level, Thornleigh Salesian College have been drawn at home to St. Margaret's C.E. High School (Liverpool) in the 3rd Round of the English Schools' Under 14s national cup.