Exeter City's run in the Under-21 Premier Cup might have come to an end against Burnley, but the young Grecians did themselves proud against the Clarets.
It took the addition of 30 extra minutes for their Championship opponents to finally see off the young Grecians; the score was 2-2 after 90 minutes as Jimmy Keohane and Tom Nichols cancelled out Archie Love's brace for the Clarets, but a strike from Nathan Lowe early in extra time broke Exeter's hearts- but they take a lot of positives from their progress.
After defeating neighbours Torquay United in the opening round, the Grecians then went on a giant-killing spree as Premiership sides Crystal Palace and Southampton were duly dispatched in the next two stages before they saw off Blackburn Rovers in the last 16 to set up a Quarter Final meeting with Burnley.
The Grecians' line-up on the night of their last eight clash with the Clarets included ten players who have tasted first-team football under Paul Tisdale this season, and to date they have also made 149 appearances between them.
Both Tisdale and Director of Football, Steve Perryman, were watching from the stands and would surely have been impressed with what they saw on display.
Also the experience of reaching the latter stages of a competition such as the Premier Cup will prove to be crucial in helping to aid the development of these young players.
It could well prove in time to be a case of the future being bright, but red and white.
