Kevin Davies: Preston's Grayson has proven promotion record

Preston striker Kevin Davies feels boss Simon Grayson's experience of winning promotion from League One could give his side an advantage in the play-offs.

North End finished fifth under Grayson, who has taken three different clubs into the Championship, and will face Rotherham in their play-off semi-final.

"We've worked incredibly hard to get where we are," Davies, 37, told BBC Late Kick Off North West.

"And we've got a manager with a proven record of getting you over the line."

Grayson, 44, led Blackpool to play-off success in 2007 and guided Leeds to automatic promotion three years later.

Simon Grayson has won promotion from the third tier with Blackpool, Leeds and Huddersfield

In 2012, he managed Huddersfield to a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Sheffield United to achieve the third promotion of his career.

Preston went into the final weekend of the regular season in third position but a 2-1 defeat at Crewe resulted in them dropping to fifth.

It means they will play at Deepdale in the first leg of their semi-final on Saturday, before travelling to Yorkshire on 15 May for the return leg against the Millers.

Davies, capped once by England in 2010, continued: "We didn't target one of the teams to play because they're all really good teams.

"For us to get promoted we're going to have to beat two of them, which is going to be difficult, but we fancy our chances.

"There's going to be a big crowd on Saturday and they'll get right behind us. If we can take a good lead over to Rotherham, we'll be in with a really good shout."

The two league games between Rotherham, who were promoted from League Two last term, and Preston ended in draws.

"If you look at the table, they are two teams that are really well matched," added Davies, who joined Preston from Bolton Wanderers in the summer of 2013.

"The results have proven that over the course of the season.

"We've only lost seven games all year, but every time we've lost we've come back with a good performance.

"We've scored 14 goals in the last three home games, so it's going to be a tough game for Rotherham as well."