BURNLEY'S youth team are chasing silverware after reaching the Alliance Cup northern final thanks to a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers.

The Clarets romped through to a meeting with Oldham Athletic next month thanks to a Chris McCann brace and further strikes from Alex Taylor and Nicky Platt.

The winners will meet either QPR or Swindon Town, who compete in the southern final, for the Alliance Cup itself.

And youth team coach Terry Pashley believes a trophy would be the perfect way to round off a tremendous year for his teenage charges, who finished runners-up in the Alliance League North West Conference and remain unbeaten in the Merit League.

He said: "Last year the Alliance Cup final was at Villa Park and that is a great incentive. The team has grown in stature and certain individual players have got better as the season has gone on. It has been a good season and it would be nice now to cap it off with something."

McCann opened the scoring against Doncaster and Taylor doubled the lead on the stroke of half time with another firm header. Midfielder Platt confidently tucked away a penalty for the third after Taylor was fouled in the box and the versatile McCann rounded off a resounding victory with the fourth soon after.

Pashley added: "We have a tendency of starting really slowly, but we got into the game after 15 or 20 minutes and never looked back after that. However, that is nit-picking when you win 4-0 because the lads were terrific.

"We are looking good and now we face Oldham, who we have played three times this season."

The northern final takes place at Oldham on Saturday, April 16.

Burnley youths are back in action again this Saturday with a Merit league game against Scunthorpe United at Gawthorpe (12pm KO).