MICHAEL Duff praised the fighting spirit of his Under 23s, despite a late derby defeat at Bolton.

An 82nd minute goal from Nigeria international Chinedu Obasi kept the in-form Trotters riding high at the top of the U23 Professional Development League’s northern division with a 1-0 win.

Bolton’s side also included on-loan Liverpool defender Jon Flanagan and ex-Sunderland and Bayern Munich midfielder Jan Kirchhoff. Burnley, on the other hand, were without Aiden O’Neill, Oliver Younger, Dwight McNeil and James Clarke, yet still managed to bounce back from a 5-0 loss to Birmingham City with a more resolute display.

“It was much better – other than the result,” said Duff. “We asked for a bit of fight after the last two or three weeks.

“Again, we played an older team, with one or two first-team players playing for them – and we lost three or four to the first-team game yesterday, which is good.

“They need to be playing with the first-team players to aid their development.

“I didn’t think there was anything in the game and, if anything, I thought we might go on and nick it.

“They probably feel they just shaded it. I thought we just shaded it, so 0-0 was probably a fair result. But football isn’t fair and that something they’re learning at the minute.

“We gave away a soft goal and those little details and margins are what it’s about.

“I think if we put in a few more performances like that then we won’t be far off a result.”

Burnley’s U23s are without a win in the league since mid-November but have won three of their five matches in the Premier League Cup and know they will advance to the knock-out stages if they take a point from Swansea City in their final group game at Curzon Ashton next Monday.