The young Hornets exited the FA Youth Cup at the fourth-round stage following a valiant effort, with Chelsea scoring an extra-time winner under the floodlights at Vicarage Road.

For the visitors, Harvey Vale and Malik Mothersille etched their names onto the scoresheet during the first half. Despite that, Watford certainly had chances and through Adian Manning’s strong set-piece delivery they were able to challenge a well-drilled Chelsea defence.

Following an error from Prince Adegoke in net for the Blues, Emmanuel Adeyemo snatched the loose ball and blasted it into an empty net. Watford enjoyed their best spell of the game after the break, and it eventually culminated in an equaliser as Adrian Blake smashed it in from close range.

With the game deadlocked after 90 minutes it entered extra time. The Blues fought against the Hornets’ pressure and moments before the interval Vale doubled his tally, securing the victory for the visitors.

Chelsea got the match underway and controlled the early proceedings. Eventually, following neat interplay, Vale was played in-behind Watford’s defence by Mothersille and the striker slotted it to the opposite side of the net leaving Alfie Marriott little chance.

The young Hornets almost responded instantly through Manning. The match-winner from the previous round delivered a wicked free-kick, but defender George Abbott was only able to head it into the side netting.

Manning’s set-piece delivery continued to cause problems for the Blues, as the midfielder found Will Hall with fantastic precision. The captain managed to get his head on the ball and forced a diving save from Adegoke who turned it behind for a corner.

The intensity continued to build as this time Chelsea tried their luck. The goalscorer, Vale, produced a side-footed strike from the edge of the box, but the ball rolled past Marriott.

Chelsea’s second of the evening was fortunate, catching the young Hornets napping. The Blues broke with pace following a Watford corner and despite Marriott and Manning’s best efforts, they were unable to stop Mothersille bundling the ball home.

With the game beginning to settle into regular patterns, Watford managed to manufacture an opening. Kyreece Lisbie, who had been causing Chelsea’s backline problems throughout the match, delivered a pin-point ball to Jack Grieves who could only blast it straight at the keeper.

Watford eventually found their breakthrough, with the last chance of the half, courtesy of an Adegoke error gifting the ball to Adeyemo who passed it into an unguarded net.

After the restart, the Golden Boys started brightly as Shaq Forde’s raking long pass nearly reached Lisbie, but Adegoke was quick off his line to clear the danger.

Marriott produced a fantastic save to deny Vale his second of the match, as Chelsea responded to Watford’s fast start.

Forde re-took control of the encounter in a new, deeper role, spraying long-range passes. It nearly culminated in an equaliser, but Lisbie’s strike was deflected wide.

Watford then enjoyed their best spell of the game, winning the ball high up the pitch with the supporters in attendance rallying them on.

The away side remained dangerous though as Lewis Hall forced Marriott to palm away a sweeping strike into the far corner. The resulting set-piece landed at Luke Badley-Morgan with Watford's shot-stopper once again denying Chelsea from close range.

Blake almost found the all-important leveller one versus one with Adegoke, but Alfie Gilchrist made a vital interception to deny the winger.

He didn’t need a second opportunity, however, as an impressive through-ball from Ryan Andrews picked out Grieves, leaving Blake with a tap-in to equalise – nothing more than Watford deserved with less than 15 minutes left on the clock.

Against the run of play, Chelsea came calling again as Vale smashed the inside of the post and Brodi Hughes had a shot saved smartly by Marriott.

Into the final 10 minutes, the tie became frantic and end-to-end as both teams searched for a late winner, but neither side was able to break the deadlock as the match entered extra time.

Watford’s pressure and intensity waned with many players continuing through the fatigue. This meant Chelsea found more space during the opening half of extra time which led to substitute Tudor Mendel-Idowu hitting the crossbar.

During a spell of newfound Blues ascendency, seconds from the halfway mark, Vale latched onto Leo Castledine’s effort and tapped the rebound home to give the visitors the lead.

The young Hornets remained determined with the introductions of Christos Batzelis, Ben Smith, Freddie Moriarty and Enoch Muwonge.

It was the substitutes that nearly inspired an equaliser with Smith finding Moriarty for an audacious volley, but ultimately the Blues secured the victory.