A host of Burton Albion first-team faces could not stop the Brewers reserves falling to a 3-0 defeat against Notts County in the Central League Cup.
The Brewers team showed a mix of experienced senior players and the youngsters looking to stake a claim in the first team over the coming seasons.
Middlesbrough loanee Connor Ripley started in goal, behind a four-man defence that featured Kyle McFadzean alongside Regan Ganley at centre-back, with Stephen Warnock and Jayden Cotterill the full-backs of contrasting experience.
Hope Akpan and Jack Hallahan were stationed in the centre of midfield, Ben Fox - wearing the captain's armband - took on the right-wing role and Reece Hutchinson was on the left, with Joe Sbarra playing off striker Luke Varney.
Academy graduate trio Fox, Hallahan and Sbarra were the most involved Brewers during a first 45 in which Burton edged play.
Fox looks at home on the right, a position that Nigel Clough may be considering him for in the senior side, while Hallahan linked play well from the middle, benefiting from Akpan's more reserved role.
In Albion's best chance before the break, Fox slid Varney into the box, with the former Ipswich Town man firing low and hard across the keeper, only to see it skid just past the far post.
Ripley was rarely tested, playing more of an organising role from his goal - although one save saw a rebound fall to Callum Saunders, who had to be denied by Cotterill.
Ganley also impressed alongside McFadzean, with the academy defender winning aerial battles and playing out calmly from the back.
After a strong first half, though, the tide would turn over half-time oranges.
It did not take Notts - for whom first-team manager Kevin Nolan was watching from the stands - long to seize the lead after the break.
Full-back Dan Jones got into the box on the left and rifled a low effort at goal, with Ripley unable to hold on as the ball squirmed through his hands and into the far corner.
Burton looked for an immediate reply, Sbarra bending an effort just off target and Fox seeing a couple of long-range shots easily held.
It was Albion's goal that would be the next breached, though, as a lovely move down the left was finished off by Sam Osborne.
And as the home side gained more and more control of the second half - especially down Jones' flank - they made it 3-0.
Osborne grabbed his second, smashing an emphatic shot past Ripley after a cross from the left.
The Brewers struggled to get on the ball as they had done in the opening 45, and the wide options were regularly cut out by good defending.
Sbarra did come close after collecting a fine Hallahan pass and curling a shot wide, while Fox was superbly denied in the final minute when his dipping effort looked destined for the top corner.
But there was to be no reply, even after Shaun Barker came off the bench late on to partner Varney up front.
Still, Clough will have been pleased to see some members of his first-team squad gain valuable game time in this clash after a lack of appearances in the senior side over recent weeks, while academy boss Dan Robinson got to see several of his players benefit from featuring alongside those experienced heads.
