IT is crunch time for the young Burnley players who are hoping to win places as scholars at the club next season.

And youth team boss Terry Pashley admitted he will be fielding a very young side in the Merit League game against Chester City at the weekend as he needs one last look at a number of players before making his final choices.

"We are playing Chester at home and the side will be totally made up of under-16s and trialists," he said. "I really need to have a look at them so I can see what they can do."

One player who has only just turned 15 who has impressed in recent weeks is the young right back James Heywood and Pashley said: "He did well again at Bradford at the weekend and I have been very pleased with him, he has done smashing.

"I have also been very pleased with the way Tom Ince has coped with playing at left back, he has done very well because he is really a winger.

"He has been filling in while Paul Scott has been injured and he knows I will be pushing him forward again when Scotty is fit."

It is also close to crunch time for third year players like Matty O'Neill and Joel Pilkington. Their future must be decided by May 5 but Pashley said: "I need to have a chat with the gaffer but things are so hectic with the first team at the moment it is hard to find the time."

Meanwhile the Clarets maintained their unbeaten record in the Merit League with a 1-1 draw at Bradford on Saturday morning and Pashley admitted it was a game of two halves.

"We took the lead against the run of play in the first half because they were on top with the wind behind them," he said. "Damien Hindle scored another goal to keep up his good run but they deserved to get an equaliser.

"After the break we dominated the match but we could not convert our three good chances and we also missed a few half chances."

The Clarets now have one win and two draws from their matches in the second part of their season.