Smith proud of Walsall

Boss Dean Smith revealed his pride after Walsall reached Wembley for the first time in their history.

The Saddlers made the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final after a 2-0 aggregate Northern Area Final win over Preston following a 0-0 draw at the Banks's Stadium. They have never played at Wembley in their 127-year history but negotiated a scrappy game after winning the first leg at Deepdale. Smith came through the ranks as a player in the 1980s and was the club's youngest-ever captain and has now become the first manager to take the club to Wembley. He said: "Myself and Richard O'Kelly (assistant manager) owe this club an awful lot because they gave us our first chance in professional football, so to be the first manager to take them to Wembley in their 127-year history is unbelievable. "It will be an extremely proud moment (walking out at Wembley), I'm from three miles up the road and I know the feeling of the people around here, you could see the euphoria at the end. "I have been to Wembley and been beaten, it's not a nice place to lose but there's a lot of games to sort until then, it's just brilliant to get there. "I always fancied us here, I couldn't see us throwing a 2-0 lead away. I thought the two centre-halves were outstanding. "In the second half we started well and they finished well but the tie was out of their reach by then." Defender James Chambers added: "It was a battling display, it's not something people associate with us but we proved it. "I know it means a lot to the club and these days don't come around often. It's one thing getting there but we have to remember we have a game at the end of it." Walsall will face either Bristol City or Gillingham and Tom Bradshaw and Romaine Sawyers missed their best chances, Preston threatened at the death when Richard O'Donnell and Paul Downing cleared during a goalmouth scramble and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake hit the crossbar in injury time. They are fourth in Sky Bet League One - and face an FA Cup fourth round replay with Sheffield United - and boss Simon Grayson now wants them to focus on their promotion bid. He said: "I can't fault the players for their attitude, we huffed and puffed but we just didn't have the quality to break them down. To concede the two goals in the first leg made it a big task but we genuinely thought we could turn it around. "We have to use it as motivation now. Games are going to come thick and fast and before you know it, you win a couple of games on the bounce and suddenly you have something steam rolling towards the end of the season. "Nothing is ever won or lost in January or February, we still have a great opportunity to achieve what we want to do."