Wanderers will be bidding to reach the third round of the FA Youth Cup and set up a trip to Leeds United when they get another taste of the University of Bolton Stadium tonight (Wednesday).
The Whites' youngsters got past Wythenshawe Amateurs in a home first-round tie thanks to goals from Yestin Shakespear, Leo Graham and Wesley Frimpong in a 3-0 win at the end of last month.
They are likely to face a sterner challenge next against Youth Alliance League rivals Accrington Stanley – who knocked the Whites out last season.
But youth team boss Julian Darby want his young charges to rise to the challenge as they bid to repeat their recent league win over the Reds, who sit just a point above them in the league table.
“It’s what all the lads look forward to,” said Darby.
“They get the opportunity to play on the stage and under the floodlights, which is a fantastic experience they should all covet.
“The game against Wythenshawe was a strange one. We didn’t know what to expect. The lads did well to come through that unscathed and move onto this round and now it’s a different test.
“These are a big, strong powerful team. They knocked us out last year so the lads who are second-years this year should remember what happened when we got beat over at Accrington.
“We played them in our league about a month ago. It was a close, tight game. We managed to come out on top then and we’ll see what happens tonight.”
Stanley reached round four of the competition last season after getting past Wanderers in the first round and have established an impressive reputation in the competition in recent years.
But Wanderers will enjoy a high-profile tie of their own at Leeds before Christmas if they able to overcome an Accrington side which booked their place in round two and a trip to the UniBol with a 3-2 win at Hartlepool United in their opening game.
“It’s a great carrot,” added Darby. “The carrot’s there but it’s one game at a time and we need to sort this out first and we’ll think about Leeds if and when we do the job tonight.”
Tonight’s cup tie kicks off at 7pm and supporters can pay on the gate with admission priced at £3 for adults and £1 for over-65s and under-18s.