STEPHEN Clemence was full of pride despite seeing his side’s Carabao Cup run emphatically ended with a 5-0 defeat at Premier League giants Chelsea.

The trip to Stamford Bridge will live long in the memory for the Bluebirds’ squad.

History repeated itself as Chelsea put five past the minnows like they did 76 years ago in the FA Cup in the only other meeting between the two clubs.

Christopher Nkunku bagged an impressive hat-trick whilst Pedro Neto got on the scoresheet after a Joao Felix free-kick bounced in off Paul Farman’s back. 

“I’m really proud of the boys,” reflected Clemence. “It’s obviously a really difficult opponent.

“When you come to a Premier League team, they’re not just a Premier League team either, they’re a top six or seven team.

“I’ve worked and played in the Premier League and those top six or seven teams, there’s a league within itself. 

“They’ve had some world class players on the pitch. For my boys to stick in the way they did, they could have gone under, I’m really proud of them. 

“They haven’t come here and disgraced themselves, they’ve given it a really good go and now it’s back to the bread and butter of the league where it’s first versus second on Saturday when we take on Gillingham.”

Given the size of the squad at Enzo Maresca’s disposal, it was always going to be a tough test for Clemence’s in-form charges.

The former Leicester boss swapped his whole starting line-up from the side which hammered West Ham at the weekend.

Despite that, the League Two leaders were pitched up against the likes of Mykhallo Mudryk, signed for £89million, Pedro Neto, a £54million coup from Wolves and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, a bargain £30m from Leicester City.

And there was also £106million star Enzo Fernandes waiting in the wings. 

Clemence added: “As soon as the draw was made, the players were excited.

“You don’t know what team Chelsea are going to pick when you turn up, but you know it’s going to be a good one.

“Sometimes you look at the Premier League and the lower leagues and it can look like a different sport, in my opinion.

“The gulf is massive. The way they move the ball, their technique, how fast they move is absolutely outstanding. 

“The Premier League keeps getting better and better. I’ve been out of the Premier League for a few years, but it looks like it’s improved again if that’s their second string team. Wow.

“I think my players will benefit from the experience. I can only speak from my own personal experience, but as a football player growing up you want to play at Wembley, Anfield, White Hart Lane, Stamford Bridge, whatever it is.

“No disrespect to League Two, but my players probably haven’t grown up wanting to play at Holker Street. My players love playing at our home ground and it’s fantastic that the boys have made a good career in the game, but they want to play at these big stadiums.

“They got that opportunity, seen how difficult that is and learned stuff from it.

“We’ll wrap them up in cotton wool now and get ready for Saturday, which is a big game for us.”