BURY Town's Under-18 side will be bidding to claim a third major scalp in the FA Youth Cup tonight.The non-league club's youngsters will line-up for the biggest match of their fledgling careers when they face Coca-Cola Championship side Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in the third round.

BURY Town's Under-18 side will be bidding to claim a third major scalp in the FA Youth Cup tonight.

The non-league club's youngsters will line-up for the biggest match of their fledgling careers when they face Coca-Cola Championship side Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in the third round.

After wins against Stowmarket, Kirkley & Pakefield and Huntingdon in the qualifying rounds, the youngsters from Ram Meadow have defied the odds by beating Walsall and Macclesfield in rounds one and two.

Bury Town Under-18 Coach Ross Wilding is fully aware of the task ahead and is confident his side will be well prepared for the match.

He said: “In each of our previous matches in this competition we have had a game plan and this tie will be no different. Whilst we know we will be up against it, we must go there with some confidence and not be daunted by the occasion.

“We struggled against Walsall due to our nerves and were a little fortunate to get through. However, against Macclesfield, despite having to go to penalties, we had learned from our previous experience and deserved the win.”

In the dugout alongside Wilding will be assistant Under 18 coach, Michael Steward, himself a regular in the Zamaretto League club's first team. Also there will be first-team manager Richard Wilkins, who oversees the coaching programme at West Suffolk College Sports Academy where all the players attend while studying a variety of full-time courses at the college.

Sports Academy manager Neil Reader said: “We have an excellent coaching team at the college. Ross Wilding and Michael Steward are two outstanding young coaches. With Richard Wilkins' experience the preparations have been very thorough. We are very fortunate to have such a strong partnership with Bury Town. Russell Ward (chairman) and his fellow directors could not be more supportive of the youngsters.”

Youth team skipper Elliot Hunter is unlikely to be fit after missing the previous two rounds with a knee injury, but the rest of the squad is likely to be the same as the one that defeated Macclesfield.

The Bury youngsters are sure to be well supported, with two coaches travelling from Suffolk.