Preston boss Simon Grayson targets play-off glory

Preston manager Simon Grayson is confident his side can lay their play-off hoodoo to rest and book a return to the Championship at Wembley on 24 May.

North End slipped out of the automatic promotion places after their weekend loss at Colchester United, and they now face Chesterfield - who finished 20 points behind them - in the first leg of the semi-finals on Thursday, May 7 live on Sky Sports.

Some supporters are fearing the worst as North End have not achieved promotion through the play-offs in nine attempts, but Grayson insists that confidence is still high in the Deepdale camp.

Grayson told Sky Sports News HQ: "Sunday night, Monday was a disappointing day. We reflected on the disappointment. I think we were more numb than anything.

"We were not complacent on Sunday thinking that we were going to get promoted but we were obviously disappointed that we did not take the opportunity.

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"But you get over it, that's gone, it's in the past and we have got to focus on the future now and we've been given a second opportunity to get promoted."

Preston's defeat at Colchester was their first in 18 games and allowed MK Dons to claim the second automatic promotion slot.

Grayson said: "The belief will come from the staff to the players and another stat from Sunday is that that match was the first time in 30 games - since November 4 - that we have not scored in a game.

"We've got some good players, we've still got great belief and we will take that confidence into the play-offs."

Watch Preston tackle Chesterfield in the first leg of the play-offs on Thursday, May 7 on Sky Sports 5HD from 7.30pm.