Town’s U21s ended their season with a 2-0 home defeat to a strong Millwall side at Playford Road, Kyron Farrell and Joseph Otudeko scoring the goals for the Lions.
Millwall, who were looking to secure second in the Professional Development League Two South table and a place, included former Blues skipper Carlos Edwards at right-back, while ex-Town midfielder Ed Upson also started alongside centre-half Sid Nelson and Ireland international keeper David Forde.
Teddy Bishop and Ainsley Maitland-Niles were the most experienced players involved for the Blues at a rainy Playford Road.
The visitors went ahead in the fourth minute via the game’s first shot, Farrell’s 25-yard strike hitting Joe Robinson and wrong-footing Town keeper Michael Crowe.
Upson, who scored the winning goal for the Blues in the 2005 FA Youth Cup final, curled a freekick over on 10 in a half of very few chances.
Bishop was replaced at the break by Conor McKendry in what looked to be a pre-planned substitution.
The midfielder, who came on as a 71st minute sub at Middlesbrough on Saturday, was far more involved that he had been in the previous U21s home game against Sheffield Wednesday and seems likely to have greater first-team involvement against the MK Dons on Saturday.
Five minutes after the restart the Lions went close to making it 2-0 when Crowe superbly saved Jamie Philpot’s downward header from Farrell’s right-sided cross.
Ireland U18 international Shane McLoughlin was forced off by an injury on 53 and England U17 international Ben Morris took over up front. Soon after, Nelson was booked for a wild challenge on Monty Patterson well after the ball had gone.
The Blues came closest to scoring in the 61st minute when Morris was sent away on the right and cut the ball back to McKendry. The Northern Irish U17 international laid the ball into the path of New Zealand U23 cap Patterson but Forde somehow managed to divert his shot over.
Flynn Downes replaced Maitland-Niles on 64, then a minute later Millwall went 2-0 in front when Otudeko, on trial from Leyton Orient, worked himself space before unleashing a powerful 25-yard strike which hit the net having grazed the inside of the post.
The visitors continued to look the more threatening side and Robinson made an important sliding interception to stop a Kris Twardek cross from the left from reaching Philpot.
The otherwise solid Forde failed to hold onto Adam McDonnell’s low cross from the left in the 80th minute but Morris was unable to profit.
Millwall sub Noel Leighton should have made it 3-0 with seven minutes remaining when played through on goal but took too heavy a touch and Crowe was able to close him down and save. After the ball had been half cleared Otudeko shot well wide.
Shortly before the end Leighton was again thwarted by Crowe, the Wales U21 call-up saving his shot from a tight angle on the Millwall right with his foot.
The Lions never really ever looked in any danger of failing to win having claimed the early lead against a much less experienced Town side and the result means they confirm second in the division and go into the end-of-season play-offs.
Town’s U21s will finish their season in seventh place in the 10-team Professional Development League Two South table.
U21s: Crowe, Emmanuel, Kenlock, McDonnell, C Smith, Robinson, Maitland-Niles (Downes 64), Bishop (McKendry 46), Patterson, McLoughlin (Morris 53), Blanchfield. Unused: Marsden, Fowler.
Millwall: Forde, Edwards, Chesmain, Upson, Nelson, Mbulu, Twardek, Farrell, Philpot, White, Otudeko. Subs: Brown, Girling, Donovan, Wisson, Leighton.