BURNLEY'S young players returned to college yesterday but Terry Pashley is hoping that they learned some harsh footballing lessons at the weekend.

The youngsters will have a half day of study every Monday and a full day on Thursday as they continue to learn their trade on the field the rest of the time.

Despite impressing in attack against Blackpool in their Youth Alliance Cup game, they lost 3-2 to leave their qualification in the balance.

With one win and one defeat they know they have to beat Preston North End at Gawthorpe on Saturday morning to get into the next round.

Preston drew 1-1 against Wigan at the weekend and they currently top the mini league with four points, one ahead of Burnley and Blackpool.

But Pashley knows his side should be clear at the top.

"The game had everything in it," he said. "We were a goal up then 3-1 down but at the end the referee came up to me and asked how we lost it.

"The simple truth is we again made individual errors at the back and it is those lessons that we have got to learn.

"You can't expect to go away from home and have to score four goals to win although their keeper made three fantastic saves and we certainly created a lot of chances.

"That was the positive thing, we had plenty of shots and crosses and our attacking play was very good with high energy levels. That just makes it all the more disappointing that we lost a game we should have won."

"Poor marking cost us two goals and then there was an error by Liam Eves," said Pashley. "But to be fair he has played seven or eight games at youth and reserve team levels without any mistakes and I have told him I want that from him again.

"We know that the lads will make mistakes, that happens at all levels of football. In fact if there were no mistakes then every match would finish 0-0.

"And while the result was disappointing we are more concerned with the performance, although if you can get one you will get the other."

The Burnley goals came from Damien Hindle and Robert Grimes.

Pashley was ready to give some younger players a run out in the final game if there had been no hope of qualification but he will stick with the older ones in the hope that victory over Preston will see them finish on top of the table.

But he admitted: "We will have a few playing for the reserves at Bury tomorrow afternoon."