Walsall 2-0 up and 90 minutes from Wembley

Late goals from Anthony Forde and Tom Bradshaw have put Walsall within touching distance of a first ever trip to Wembley.

On a night when the rain never ceased, the Saddlers again delivered a superb away performance with history on the line at Deepdale.

To win big games you need big players to stand up and goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell certainly did that.

It was not just with two outstanding first-half saves to deny Jermaine Beckford, but with his sure handling which on a sodden evening provided a level of calm to proceedings which were often anything but.

A goal-less draw would have been an excellent result in itself, but Forde ensured better six minutes from time when he swept home a brilliant 25 yard free-kick.

Then Bradshaw gave the Saddlers a real cushion heading into the second leg, when he capitalised on a defensive error to score his 15th of the season.

Smith had been scathing of his side's slow start at the weekend but here, roared on by a very vocal travelling support, they were straight into their stride.

Forde was looking particularly bright and after a jinking run almost found Bradshaw with a low cross which was instead hacked clear by alert home skipper Tom Clarke.

After weathering the visitors early pressure, it was the hosts who would have taken the lead but for a wonder save from O'Donnell.

Beckford looked set to bury Paul Gallagher's cross from the left wing when he met it unmarked four yards out, but the Saddlers goalkeeper somehow managed to divert his header round the post.

That was the cue for a 25-minute spell of often intense pressure from the hosts, in which only further brilliance O'Donnell prevented them from taking the lead.

Humphrey shot over from outside the box, while Beckford did likewise from far closer range.

Walsall's defence mostly stood strong, although James Chambers was almost caught out as he was robbed by Humphrey trying to shepherd the ball out of play.

The winger advanced into the box but O'Connor was there to hack clear the inviting low cross.

Gallagher was causing endless problems down the opposite flank and, after Beckford had headed another cross of his wide, O'Donnell pulled off his second superb save of the night to deny the striker again.

Once more it was Gallagher who provided the cross, once more Beckford supplied the header and once more O'Donnell proved its equal, tipping the ball over the bar.

Finally respite arrived and the Saddlers began to enjoy some possession.

After Michael Cain had fired just wide from the edge of the box, Taylor was inches from giving them the lead with a 25 yard free-kick which beat Stuckmann but struck the base of the post.

Just as they did in the first, it was the Saddlers who were quickest out of the blocks in the second period and after O'Connor had flashed a centre across the face of goal, Cain drove just over from distance.

Beckford, with Gallagher as his supplier, remained Preston's greatest threat and the striker diverted another cross from the winger straight at O'Donnell.

Cook then drove a free-kick straight at Stuckmann from just outside the box after Bradshaw had wriggled away from Paul Huntington only to be pulled back.

When O'Connor committed a similar offence on Scott Laird at the other end, Gallagher lashed the resulting free-kick over the bar.

There were big appeals for a Walsall penalty when Bradshaw tumbled in the box under pressure from Clarke, but referee Simon Hooper waved away the claims.

Sawyers drilled over as the game, now far less frenetic as the teams tired, entered the final 15 minutes.

Forde's goal owed much to Stuckmann scuffing his clearance straight to Sawyers. Kilkenny had little option but to bring him down and Forde gave the goalkeeper no chance from 25 yards out.

That sent the visiting supporters into a delirium which only increased when Bradshaw latched on to a poor backpass and from a tight angle slid the ball under Stuckmann to leave the Saddlers in touching distance of Wembley.