Holders Middlesbrough are out of this season's FA Youth Cup beaten at the fifth round stage by Watford at Vicarage Road last night - going out 4-1 on penalties.

The game ended goalless after extra-time but the home side won the shoot-out to book a quarter-final against Tottenham.

Boro gave everything and were well marshalled at the back by Matthew Bates and David Wheater - who signed a new three-and-a-half-year deal with the club this week. The duo were due to fly with the first team squad to Austria just hours after returning from Hertfordshire.

Both sides had chances in a keenly contested game. Boro had an early opportunity to open the scoring with three minutes played, but Bates glanced a header wide from six yards out.

Jason Kennedy went close from distance midway through the first half, but goalkeeper David Knight was a contender for Boro's Man of the Match with a series of fine stops.

The game was decided on penalties. Adam Johnson scored for Boro, but Tom Craddock and Jason Kennedy had their efforts saved, while Watford converted all four to inflict the first defeat on Boro's youth team for three years.

Boro: Knight, Burgess, Hines, Bates, Wheater, Cattermole, Clough, Kennedy, Craddock, Grounds, Johnson. Subs (not used): Lemaire, Walker, Robson, Williams