Watford’s academy side progressed to the semi-final of the Hertfordshire Senior Challenge Cup on Tuesday night after they beat Bishops Stortford 5-3 on penalties.

The young Hornets battled through the snow and took a 3-1 lead in at half time with goals from JJ McKiernan and Kai Sanders putting them back on top after Ryan Henshaw’s equaliser cancelled out an early strike from Jayden Bennetts.

The home side produced a comeback in the second half at the ProKit stadium, with goals in the last ten minutes from Ryan Charles and Nathan Livings sending the game to penalties.

Watford converted all of their spot kicks, while Livings had his denied by Hoskins in the Hornets’ net, meaning there was no need for the home side to take their final penalty as the game had already been decided.

The victory will add further joy to the head of the academy, Darren Sarll, who last week saw the youngsters progress to the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup with a 2-1 victory over Southampton.

The result will be seen as a shock in some quarters, with Southampton’s academy rated as category one, the highest academy rating available, while Watford’s is rated as category two.

Nevertheless, two goals from Ryan Cassidy were enough to overcome the Saints and Watford will now face Ipswich Town in the next round.

After the game, Sarll told the club website: “When you play against good sides, the team has to be the winner and tonight it was a real team-powered invigorating performance.

“I’m really pleased and it's enjoyable to be able to give young players who try hard every day something to hold onto and something to be proud of. They've worked so hard and these are the fruits of that labour.

“It was a very solid, very team-orientated performance and everything this club tries to encapsulate. It was an all-for-one attitude.”