Kings Langley’s bid to reach the semi-finals of the Herts Senior Cup came to an end on a rainy night in Ware as the home side triumphed 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out following a 2-2 draw.

An impressive first-half Langley performance had established a two-goal lead for the third successive round, but Paul Hobbs’ men were pegged back after the break.

New signing Richard Platt made his debut in a rare back three formation and there were equally infrequent starts for Mason Bush and Joe Gallagher in midfield, while Jack Waldren and James Verney retained their places.

Ware made a pacy start, threatening down both wings, with Murat Karagul finding space but finishing weakly and Kambo Smith forcing Xavi Comas into a save.

The visitors responded with a Verney run and pass resulting in a Lewis Toomey flick that Russell Harley did well to tip round the post.

Waldren was giving the home defence a torrid time down the left wing with first-time crosses and it was from one of these that Toomey’s snap shot was blocked by Harley, only for an alert Verney to convert the rebound to put Kings 1-0 up.

A thunderous 25-yard Ryan Plowright shot was only just over, Verney did everything right to chip a through ball over the keeper, but just past the post. Kings were looking in fine form though, with first-time passing moves running through the whole team.

However, they suffered a blow when Toomey limped off, having rolled an ankle in an innocuous midfield incident to raise concerns of another lay off in an injury-marred season and put the brakes on the promise of a developing partnership with the teenaged Verney.

Undeterred, another Waldren cross was partially cleared and Stevie Ward volleyed the loose ball into the net to confirm Kings’ superiority and give an interval buffer.

And then it rather fell apart for the visitors, as the pitch got heavier and more energy sapping by the minute and Ware used their second-half advantage of the slope to give a totally different twist to the tale.

A series of corners ended with Karagul forcing the ball home to reduce the deficit before substitute Laurence Vaughan should have equalised with his first touch, but headed weakly.

The reprieve was short-lived though, as another corner exposed Langley’s defensive frailties and Kambo Smith grabbed the equaliser.

Kings had their moments in reply with a Johnson header and a Bush shot, but the initiative and the slope were with Ware and leaden Langley limbs managed to miss three of the four penalties taken to see their hosts progress, leaving Langley free to concentrate on Southern League Premier League survival.

Kings Langley: Comas; Platt, Johnson, Balogun; Ward, Bush, Plowright, Gallagher, Waldren; Toomey (Hitchcock 39), Verney. Sub not used: Pattison.