THE tension could not have been more great - the ending, more heartbreaking.

But manager John Coleman pulled no punches in his side's Carling Cup second round exit.

"I'm going home a loser," he said, after seeing his side crash out 6-5 on penalties, with captain Peter Cavanagh and striker Paul Mullin both missing from the spot after holding Premiership new boys Watford over the full 90 minutes and then a further 30 minutes of extra time.

Had fortunes gone their way, it would have been billed as a giant-killing, but Coleman was devastated that his players failed to score against a side that was made up of Watford's reserves and youth team players.

Hornets boss Aidy Boothryod changed his entire starting line-up, and bench, from Saturday's Premiership 0-0 draw at home to Aston Villa. A decision which delighted Coleman.

But he was furious that his players failed to break the deadlock against a much weakened side.

"Most of those players won't have played league football, ours play competitive matches every week," he blasted.

But it wasn't through the want of trying that Stanley failed to break the deadlock with Gary Roberts, in particular, starring for the Reds in attack.

The 22-year-old, maintaining his new striking role with Mullin set the tone for the rest of his game with his first attempt at goal as early as the third minute.

But the inexperienced Watford side were easing their way into the game and Albert Jarrett set up a good chance on 15 minutes as he whipped in a good delivery that captain Matthew Spring volleyed wide under pressure from Cavanagh.

Stanley's finest move followed soon afterwards, when Leam Richardson was quick to pick out Paul Mullin from a throw-in.

The striker laid it off for Roberts, who tricked his way past two token challenges before firing the ball back in for Mullin, but in trying to reach it the Stanley front man fouled the keeper.

The referee blew for a simliar offence, albeit dubiously, to cut Ian Craney's celebrations in their prime soon afterwards.

The Reds midfielder thought he had scored from a sweet inswinging corner, but when Richard Lee went to ground as the ball dipped in at the far post, it was ruled out for an infringement on the former Blackburn Rovers loan stopper.

Stanley were growing in confidence, and while Watford always looked quick and dangerous on the break, the Reds defence was proving to be a resilient force.

In fact, it was the League Two underdogs who were carving out the better openings, with Roberts unfortunate to see a header drop just wide from Andy Todd's deep cross.

Winger Todd was then unlucky not to get more for his efforts after sending the ball upfield for Mullin from Cavanagh's headed clearance and sprinting to meet the return pass midway inside the Watford half.

But Watford never allowed complacency to set in among the Stanley camp and Bangura foiled attempts to clear a corner with a vicious right-foot drive.

Dunbavin then made a great save to deny Bangura again, this time from a long-range shot after the Stanley stopper palmed away Jarrett's left-wing delivery.

Phil Edwards followed that up with a superbly timed challenge as Tamas Priskin burst through the middle.

And after Roberts wasted a free kick five minutes before the break, Bangura maintained the pressure right up to half-time whistle as he made space from himself and bent a left-footer just around the post.

Stanley will have been satisfied with going into the break with a clean sheet.

But they had their work cut out to keep it that way after the break as Watford raised the tempo, looking sharper, more determined and peppering the goalmouth at every opportunity, mainly through Jarrett, Adrian Mariappa and Priskin.

Stanley weren't without their chances, and Roberts remained at the heart of their best work as he went close with a right-foot shot before pulling the ball back from the byline for Craney, who was denied by a brave block.

Watford reacted and Dunbavin did well to keep out another Bangura strike after Leam Richardson's unfortunate slip gave him the opportunity to shoot. Mariappa headed over from the resultant corner.

The introduction of Rommy Boco for Sean Doherty, who was hurt in a challenge on the edge of the box, gave Stanley added impetus in the last half-hour, while Roberts continued to be a handful.

The 22-year-old, retaining his new striking role, zipped from right to left and was unlucky to have his shot turned over.

Boco made a menace of himself as extra-time loomed, and Stanley would have avoided it completely had his 25-yard strike not been well saved by Lee as the ball bounced just in front of him.

Jarrett and Craney both had injury time attempts to snatch a dramatic winner, but Jarrett missed the target while Lee saved from Craney.

Stanley had to be on their mettle defensively as extra time got underway, but after the dangerous Bangura had been stretchered off, the Reds aimed to seize the initiative and Boco just missed the target from 18 yards after a good build-up.

Stanley survived a couple of scares in the second half of extra time.

Then Coleman, in the hope that history would repeat itself, switched goalkeepers in the dying seconds, replacing Dunbavin with Rob Elliot in the hope that the Charlton stoppers penalty heroics of last season would pay off.

It was a move he made in their first Conference season in the FA Cup replay with Bournemouth, when Jon Kennedy came on for Jamie Speare.

That time, it worked as Paul Howarth struck the winning spot kick.

But it didn't have the desired effect this time.

Roberts, Boco, Craney, Todd and Procter all scored for Stanley.

Those penalties were matched by Spring, Toumani Diagouraga, Priskin, Mariappa and Jordan Parkes for the home side.

Cavanagh's run up was short, the penalty saved. Stanley got a lifeline when James Chambers hit the crossbar.

But when Mullin, who unexpectedly replaced Richardson in the penalty pecking order, missed his, Anthony McNamee snatched the chance to begin Watford's celebrations.