Watford exited the Herts Senior Challenge Cup last night after a 1-1 draw with St Albans City resulted in a 3-2 loss in the penalty shoot-out.

Jayden Bennetts, Ryan Cassidy and Dan Phillips all missed from the spot for the Hornets, with St Albans keeper Dean Snedker saving two of them, after Cassidy had provided a second-half equaliser to Lewis Knight’s opener.

It was Knight who set City on their way at a soaked Clarence Park, hooking his effort towards the goal as the ball bounced down from a Dave Diedhiou corner and the ball went in off the underside of the crossbar.

James Hoskins, in the Watford goal, was then equal to three efforts from the hosts, firstly when Tom Bender headed straight at him from a free-kick and when David Moyo and Solomon Sambou did the same with their efforts.

Watford continued to come under pressure but the game began to turn in the second half and it wasn’t long before Cassidy had them level.

A slip from Michael Clark allowed the Hornets in, with Snedker making the save, but the ball was played back into the danger area and Cassidy took a touch before netting the equaliser.

The hosts had an excellent chance to win the game deep into extra-time when Liam Sole was brought down in the box, but Zane Banton’s effort hit the post before going wide.

The match went to penalties to decide the competition’s first finalist and Watford missed their opening three kicks, allowing St Albans to take a two-goal shoot-out lead through Jordan Sanderson and Banton.

Joy Mukena and a trialist scored either side of Ben Wyatt’s miss for the Saints, but Clark’s successful spot-kick confirmed the win for St Albans and sent them through to the final to face either Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead Town or Boreham Wood.