It began with desperation, but Cardiff City ended a rollercoaster weekend with a genuine air of optimism as they left Anfield on Sunday.
Many will write off Liverpool's victory over Steve Morison's side as routine - and admittedly in some ways it was.
Liverpool, having been so admirably frustrated by their less illustrious visitors, moved up the gears after the break, and were worthy winners.
A couple of dubious decisions undoubtedly made Cardiff's task a little harder, but Liverpool's class was undeniable.
Yet there was absolutely nothing embarrassing in the manner this young and inexperienced City conducted themselves at Anfield, particularly on the back of what was a tricky 24 hours.
News that Sean Morrison will likely be out for the rest of the season was nothing short of a bombshell.
Whatever you may think of Morrison and his form this season, he’s been a tremendous servant to the club, and deserves better than to potentially see his Cardiff career end this way.
He is, of course, one of a number of City stars coming to the end of their current deals, with talks over what will happen next likely to take place over the coming weeks.
But at Anfield, all of that was temporarily put to one side, and one unheralded youngster was afforded a rare chance to step into the limelight.
For many of the 6,000 fans in the Anfield Road End, Oliver Denham was arguably the big positive to emerge from Sunday's defeat.
The 19-year-old's inclusion raised plenty of eyebrows in the press room when the team sheets came in (as did the name of Eli King, who had previously played just 11 minutes of senior football), and there were some concerns over how well he would cope against Liverpool's potent attacking talent.
There was an early moment when he was turned by Diogo Jota, who would have opened the scoring for the hosts were it not for a fine Dillon Phillips save.
But other than that, Denham didn't really look too out of place.
Many seasoned pros would find the prospect of a debut at Anfield a daunting one, but the centre-back didn't do an awful lot wrong for much of the afternoon.
This perhaps wasn't the complete performance some of the more excited and well oiled sections of the City fanbase have suggested, but it was a solid enough introduction to senior football, and there is certainly some cause for quiet positivity.
There are clearly some areas he will need to work on, but should Morison receive any further selection concerns at the back, Denham may well feel he now has a shot at contention.
Many will hope that he's the next player to graduate from from what feels like an increasingly prosperous and fruitful academy set-up.
But Sunday was also a timely reminder of the talents of another young Bluebirds star.
Rubin Colwill’s goal was a moment he will surely never forget.
“It’s right up there - one of the best goals of my career so far,” he said after the game.
“I kept running forward, got it back and then just kept a cool head, putting it in the bottom corner.”
The pace, the composure, the finish. It was a moment that gracefully summed up all that is good about this young man.
It feels like it’s been tough for him recently. Spells in and out of the team have coincided with plateaus and troughs of form.
The youngster's meteoric rise means it's easy to forget he's still only 19. He remains something of an uncut diamond who still has a few years of development ahead of him.
But his raw talent is there for all to see, and was displayed to full effect in front of a worldwide television audience.
“All I want to do is play well,” he continued.
“I’ve just been keeping my head down and working hard, trying not to focus too much on the now and seeing the bigger picture.
“Hopefully we can pick up more form in the league and start climbing the table.”
It seems attention has already turned back to the league, starting with a massive game on Wednesday night, where Morison will likely welcome back a number of first-team stars.
Peterborough United won’t possess anywhere near the embarrassment of riches at Liverpool’s disposal, but it is arguably a bigger game.
A defeat would perhaps put a least a small dent into the real progress this side has made over the last couple of weeks.
But a win would surely mean their relegation fears are eased that bit further.
There's no shortage of incentive for this squad, and with a mass upheaval likely in the summer, there could well be plenty more opportunities for Cardiff's young guns to shine.
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