THE Hornets will enjoy their second home draw on the trot in the Carling Cup on Tuesday night against Darlington when, once again, Aidy Boothroyd will have the chance to blood young talent developing within his squad.

Last year's League Two play-off semi finalists will not be an easy task for a young side and having already disposed of League One Walsall, the Quakers will be heading to Vicarage Road with another upset in mind.

Waiting for them will be a hungry and prepared crop of players however, who will be doing everything they can to impress their manager in the hope of breaking into the first team.

Many teams have been criticised in recent years for devaluing the Carling Cup by playing so-called 'reserve' sides in what is supposed to be a first team competition.

But for players like Will Hoskins and the like, this is the perfect opportunity to prove to the manager that they are good enough for regular first team duties.

He said: "It's still a big competition. It's always been the Carling Cup, the FA Cup and the League which are the three domestic competitions that you want to do well in. So if I get a chance to play, I'll want to get as far as I can."

It is a competition that the young striker will always remember for scoring his first senior goal in a Watford shirt.

Hoskins coolly slotted home the winning goal in the first round tie against League One Bristol Rovers and it appears to have been a massive boost.

It's an opportunity that Hoskins would not have been able to grab had it not been for Aidy's youth policy in the Carling Cup and it is just reward for the commitment he has shown in pre-season.

"I came in early pre-season and wanted to do well. Now I've just got to keep plugging away, keep taking my chances and playing with confidence."

Although still only 22, Hoskins was one of the senior players in the Rovers' victory.

New faces such as Ross Jenkins, Billy Gibson and Lewis Young were all introduced to the Vicarage Road crowd and managed to impress even at their tender ages.

"It seems like yesterday I was like Billy, getting my debut.

"It's flown by, but now I've got better overall experience of the game and more knowledge of the game so I was trying to bring that through during the fixture.

"We've got Darlington next though and if play in that I'll hopefully do the same again."

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