League One play-off semi-final: Preston North End v Chesterfield

Summary

Preston reach League One play-off final
Beckford fires Preston into first-half lead
Garner nets penalty after Murphy foul
Beckford's second a brilliant long-range strike
Lilywhites face Sheff Utd or Swindon in final

Live Reporting

Phil Cartwright

Another promotion on the menu for Cook?published at 11:56 British Summer Time 10 May 2015
Image source, Empics
It's difficult to find fault with the job Paul Cook has done at Chesterfield.
In 2013-14 - his first full season in charge - the former Accrington boss led the Spireites to the League Two title and the Football League Trophy final, where they lost to Peterborough.
This term, he took Chesterfield to sixth position in the third tier - their highest league finish since 1981.
Winning the League One play-offs and taking the club into the Championship would be his best achievement by far.
Preston's danger menpublished at 11:53 British Summer Time 10 May 2015
Image source, Getty Images/BBC
In total, it's 13 goals in 28 appearances for the man on loan from Bolton Wanderers.
Alongside him is Joe Garner, League One's top scorer with 26 in all competitions this season.
Not a bad strike pairing, it has to be said.
Postpublished at 11:51 British Summer Time 10 May 2015
Nathan Middleton
BBC Sport at Deepdale
"It's a mild, grey afternoon in Lancashire ahead of the second leg of Preston v Chesterfield.
"Lots of the talk in the media room was about the importance of Lilywhites striker Joe Garner today - he scored a hat-trick last time out at Deepdale and has notched three times already against the Spireites this season.
"Chesterfield will be buoyed by their last visit to Preston though, when they came back from three goals down to earn a point in a 3-3 draw back in September."
Hands up if you've won the league...published at 11:47 British Summer Time 10 May 2015
Image source, Getty Images
Jose Mourinho's Chelsea begin what is effectively a prolonged lap of honour today, having sealed the Premier League title last weekend.
Saying that, Mourinho will be desperate to defeat Liverpool - a club against whom he's enjoyed many great battles over the years - at Stamford Bridge this afternoon (kick-off 16:00 BST).
Before that at 13:30 BST, it's Manchester City v QPR. Anything but a win at Etihad Stadium will send Rangers back down to the Championship.
Follow BBC Sport's live text commentary of today's Premier League action here.
Saturday's play-off actionpublished at 11:44 British Summer Time 10 May 2015
Image source, Getty Images
East Anglian rivals Ipswich and Norwich played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final yesterday.
Jonny Howson put the Canaries in front at Portman Road, but Paul Anderson's equaliser for Ipswich ensured the tie's all square heading into next Saturday's second leg.
In League Two, Wycombe looked in complete control of their semi-final with Plymouth. Wanderers led 3-0 after an hour but conceded twice late on, leaving that one in the balance. The second leg is at Adams Park on Thursday.
Join the debate at #bbcfootballpublished at 11:42 British Summer Time 10 May 2015
Are Preston destined for Wembley? Or can Chesterfield pull off a superb comeback at Deepdale?
Get in touch using #bbcfootball on Twitter.
Chesterfield draft in Murphypublished at 11:41 British Summer Time 10 May 2015
Image source, Getty Images
If you'd told Joe Murphy earlier this week that he would have been playing in a League One play-off semi-final, he probably wouldn't have believed you, but Chesterfield's goalkeeping crisis has led to the 33-year-old being handed his Spireites debut in today's second leg at Preston.
Regular number one Tommy Lee hurt his ankle in Thursday's first-leg defeat and, with Aaron Chapman and Myles Wright also injured, Huddersfield's Murphy has been brought in as cover.
Line-upspublished at 11:37 British Summer Time 10 May 2015
Preston North End: Johnstone, Clarke, Wright, Huntington, Woods, Kilkenny, Welsh, Johnson, Gallagher, Beckford, Garner.
Subs: Stuckmann, Laird, Humphrey, Browne, Robinson, Hugill, Davies.
Chesterfield: Murphy, Evatt, Darikwa, Hird, Ryan, Banks, Jones, O'Shea, Morsy, Roberts, Clucas.
Subs: Humphreys, Raglan, Gardner, Carter, Ariyibi, Harrison, Gnanduillet.
Team newspublished at 11:35 British Summer Time 10 May 2015
Preston North End make two changes from the first leg, with Neil Kilkenny and Calum Woods coming in for Scott Laird and Chris Humphrey.
Chesterfield give a debut to goalkeeper Joe Murphy, who joined on an emergency loan from Huddersfield on Saturday as Tommy Lee is injured. They make one other alteration, with Ollie Banks replacing Dan Gardner.
Preston in controlpublished at 11:32 British Summer Time 10 May 2015
Image source, Getty Images
Many wondered how Preston would recover from missing out on automatic promotion - well, they showed no signs of a hangover as they emerged victorious from a feisty first leg with Chesterfield at Proact Stadium.
Jermaine Beckford was Preston's match-winner. The on-loan Bolton striker produced a cool finish in the sixth minute to give Simon Grayson's men the advantage in this semi-final tie.
Tenth time lucky?published at 11:30 British Summer Time 10 May 2015
Image source, Getty Images
Nine play-off campaigns, nine failures for Preston North End. It's a Football League record - but not one they're proud of.
Will it be 10th time lucky for the Lancashire side this time around?
First they must get past a Chesterfield side who are attempting to win back-to-back promotions, and the Lilywhites started well enough on Thursday, with victory in the first leg of their semi-final...