Bolton Wanderers strengthened their grip at the top of the Professional Development League North on Monday night with a 1-0 win over Millwall at Lancashire FA's County ground in Leyland.
Connor Hall scored his 19th goal of the season and James Aspinall made a crucial penalty save as the young Whites moved one step closer to securing a play-off place.
Wanderers started brightly with Hall inches away from getting on the end of Tyler Walker’s low delivery into the box.
The latter then went close himself shortly after, seeing his shot fizz wide of the post.
With Bolton applying pressure, the breakthrough came in the 36th minute when the dangerous Hall pounced on a defensive error and finished with aplomb.
The visitors were awarded a penalty on the stroke of half-time after Liam Morris was adjudged to have brought down his man.
Aspinall wasn’t to be beaten, though, denying Millwall’s Noel Leighton with his right foot to maintain Wanderers’ one-goal advantage.
David Lee’s men stood strong in the second half as senior players Chinedu Obasi and Zach Clough both completed 70 minutes.
Rarely tested after the interval, the Whites held on to clinch all three points and maintain their four-point lead at the top of the table.
Wanderers starting XI: Aspinall, Morris, Lonsdale, Edwards, Brockbank, Jones-Griffiths, Walker, Earing, Hall, Obasi (King 70), Clough (Politic 72).
Substitutes: James, White, Fearnley.