Malky Thomson

Reserve team manager Malky Thomson admitted that his team gave themselves an uphill challenge by conceding three times during the opening stages of tonight's game at Fulham.

Those proved to be the only goals of the match although Blues were much brighter during the second period and had chances to reduce the arrears.

Thomson conceded: "We made some grave errors in the first half that cost us dearly and we gave ourselves a mountain to climb.

"There were basics mistakes, we held too high a line for the first goal and for the second we really should have shown the boy down the line.

"But it's a learning curve and that's what you've got to use these games for, to get valuable experience in match situations against decent players - we certainly got that last week against Villa and we got it again tonight.

"There were one or two words said at half-time and they came back out and responded well in the second period."

Thomson felt that there were positives to be taken from some of the performances of the senior players on show this evening.

"Some first team players got some match practice and you can see the qualities of the likes of Michel, Teemu Tainio and Kevin Phillips," he added.

"To come down to London on a Tuesday night and put that kind of performance in and help in the dressing room was great."