Watford knocked out of FA Youth Cup by Chelsea

Sean Murray gave the Hornets the lead but in first-half injury time, Chelsea equalised in controversial circumstances with a Bobby Devyne header.

Watford were under attack for most of the second half but held on until the final ten minutes when defender Adam Fenwick diverted Billy Clifford's cross into his own net.

Chelsea started the game excellently and looked very lively with regular first team squad member Josh McEachran pulling the strings.

McEachran put energetic striker Milan Lalkovic in after just 90 seconds but the Slovakian put his shot well wide from close range.

There was another scare for Watford soon after when Jonathan Bond tried to let the ball go out of play and Billy Clifford kept it in. The ball ended at the feet of right back Todd Kane on the corner of the area and Bond recovered to save at his near post.George Saville then fired over from the resulting corner.

But for all the home side's pressure, it was Watford who took a shock lead through Sean Murray.

Bernard Mensah's shot was blocked yards from his line by Tomas Kalas and when the ball came out to Murray, he showed great composure to fire into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

This lifted Watford and they were superb for the next quarter of an hour as their pressing game stopped McEachran, and more importantly, Chelsea from playing.

Murray nearly scored a second when his deflected shot from distance was almost fumbled into his own net by Chelsea goalkeeper Jamal Blackman.

Watford's Gavin Massey, who was playing wide right, and Lalkovic both had shots blocked but it was the Hornets again who went closest to scoring.

Right back Matt Bevans beat his man to send in a low cross. It missed everyone in the middle but was gathered by Murray and his strike was heading in before it hit the head of Kane.

McEachran was struggling to have an impact now but midway through the half he found himself some space to fire in a shot which stung the hands of Bond.

Billy Clifford had a tame shot saved soon after but neither side created another chance until the final minute of normal time in the first half.

Lalkovic dribbled into the box but the excellent Tommy Hoban stood up well and the striker's shot hit the side netting.

It looked as though Watford would go in with a one goal lead but in the second minute of injury time Chelsea were awarded a corner which should not have been given.

Bobby Devyne had looked set to go off five minutes earlier when he was knocked into the stands by Bevans but he stayed on and from Clifford's corner, looped a header at the near post into the far corner to make it 1-1 at the break.

Neither side had kept possession well in the opening 45 minutes but the game had been played at a frantic tempo.

And it was a similar story early in the second half. Aziz Deen Conteh came up from left back to flash a shot across goal for Chelsea and then a minute later, Massey saw an effort go narrowly wide the far post.

It looked as though the Blues were set to take the lead in the 58th minute when they were awarded a penalty. McEachran's reverse pass put Clifford in and his goal-bound shot struck the arm of Hoban. But Lalkovic stepped up and sent his spot kick wide of the post.

Murray's goal against Fulham in the previous round was spectacular but from a similar position tonight, his curling effort was closer to row Z than it was to the top corner.

The game lost its spark for a while but then Chelsea had four good chances in as many minutes around the 70-minute mark.

Bond made two great saves to deny Clifford and Lalkovic from outside the area and then substitute Adam Nditi and Clifford, again, fired over and wide when they both should have hit the target.

The tempo picked up again and Watford almost created an opening when Assombalonga's low cross just missed the unmarked Massey and Mensah.

But there is no doubt it was the Blues who looked more likely to score and Bond was again needed as Lalkovic was put through through. The Hornets keeper made a great stop and then Hoban did superbly to block Clifford's follow-up, which would have been a certain goal.

For all of Chelsea's creativity, the Hornets were a little unfortunate when the Blues finally did take the lead with eight minutes remaining, as Clifford's cross was deflected into his own net by Adam Fenwick.

The Hornets had struggled to create chances in the second half but they had a glorious opportunity to equalise with three minutes remaining.

Massey sent a cross in to the far post and both Assombalonga and substitute Gardner could have scored from six yards out but they got in each others way and Gardner's header went well wide.

Watford were looking for a way back into the game but it was Chelsea who went closest to grabbing a third.

Clifford sent a shot wide and Bond again needed to save well to deny Lalkovic at the near post.

Watford did have one last chance but Massey's 25-yard shot was gathered by Blackman at the second attempt.

Chelsea: Blackman; Kane, Kalas, Pappoe, Conteh; Saville (Ince 90+4), Chalobah; Clifford, McEachran, Devyne (Nditi 63); Lalkovic.

Subs: Tomlinson, Rodgers, Sampayo.

Watford: Bond; Bevans (Horner 72), Fenwick, Hoban, Tumwa; Issac, Smith; Massey, Murray, Mensah (Gardner 85), Assombalonga.

Subs: Bonham, Archer, Hamilton-Forbes.