Watford U18’s secured their place in the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup with a 2-1 extra-time win away at Leicester City.

Ryan Cassidy struck the winner in the additional period having given the Hornets an 11th-minute lead from the penalty spot, with a Harry Hudson own goal seeing the scores level at the end of normal time.

The result means this side are only one win away from becoming just the fourth team in the club’s history to reach the final of the competition.

In their first meaningful attack of the game, the visitors were given the opportunity to take the lead when Cassidy was dragged down by Justen Kranthove in the box, and the forward confidently converted to give his side the advantage.

Home goalkeeper Oliver Bosworth was the busier of the two stoppers, saving at his near post from Ryan Maclean as he surged forward from left-back, but he could only watch on afterwards as two efforts from Sonny Blu Lo-Everton went wide of the post.

In the second half, Dante Baptiste was doing his best to preserve the Hornets’ lead, saving twice from Kairo Arlott-John, but he was finally beaten soon after as Hudson, sliding in to block an Edward Elewa-Ikpakwu cross, could only divert it into his own net to level the scores at 1-1.

Leicester looked the more likely to score going into extra-time, but Watford fashioned some chances for themselves afterwards as Lo-Everton had an effort cleared, and another opportunity produced the winning goal as Cassidy was threaded through by Emmanuel Adebiyi, and he clipped past Bosworth to restore the visitors’ advantage – one that they held until the end.

Watford, who knocked out Birmingham City, Southampton and Ipswich Town prior to this game, will now face either Liverpool or Bury in the semi-finals.