THE reserves' season may have ended in disappointment with defeat by Preston North End in the title decider but manager Ronnie Jepson was far from dejected.

As he reflected on his first season in charge of the Clarets second string in the Avon Insurance Premier Division, he said: "The lads have done ever so well and they can be proud of themselves.

"I have really enjoyed it and I think that I have learned a lot. It has been good mixing senior pros with the young lads."

Throughout the campaign Jepson regularly used young players from Terry Pashley's youth squad and the likes of Earl Davis, Joel Pilkington, Andrew Waine and Matty O'Neill all acquitted themselves well.

But Jepson warned them: "Young players have to learn quickly nowadays, there are a lot of hungry young people about.

"Look around the first division and there are a lot of teenagers who have already broken into the first teams at various clubs and that is what our lads have to look to do.

"Andrew Waine, Joel and Earl have improved but there are plenty their age who are further on. They have got to set their sights higher than just getting into the reserves and doing well at that level.

"All the rewards are there for them nowadays but they have to work hard to get them. The gaffer has got this club in a position where it is one of the top teams in the first division and so that is the standard they have to achieve.

"They know his expectations and it is up to them to reach them. We will keep banging the drum, encouraging them, helping them to develop but in the end it will be down to them.

"There was not the same money around when I was starting out but there has always been competition to become a footballer. It is a career a lot of young lads want and they have to be hungry.

"So if I was writing an end of term report for the young players I would have to say they've done well but there is plenty of room for improvement."

Two games help to illustrate Jepson's assessment as he explained: "I had to put out a very young and inexperienced side at both Wrexham and Huddersfield and we lost both games 6-1.

"That shows what happens when you take the senior pros out and it also shows the lads have a lot of learning to do."

Jepson took charge of the reserves back in September and he believes there have been plenty of positives to take out of the campaign.

"It was a shame we didn't win the league but we have made progress," he said. "It has gone very quickly for me but I have enjoyed it."

Jepson knows that his main role is to help Stan Ternent's first team preparations and that was the thinking behind fielding a strong side at Preston in midweek. Now he hopes that the first team will benefit when it comes to the big game tomorrow.

And if the Clarets can reach the play-offs and ultimately the Premier League, it will give the club's youngsters an even bigger prize to aim for.