JERMAINE Beckford stole the show as Preston booked their first Wembley trip since 1994.

The Lancashire side moved one step away from laying their play-off curse to rest after advancing past Chesterfield in the Sky Bet League One play-off semi-finals.

Seven days after missing out on automatic promotion to the Championship following an agonising loss at Colchester, Beckford's volley and incredible lob from near the halfway line helped Preston to a 3-0 victory and 4-0 aggregate success.

His goals came either side of a penalty from the division's top scorer Joe Garner, and ensured Preston were feeling altogether different emotions this Sunday afternoon.

Thursday night's 1-0 win in Derbyshire was followed up in style as Simon Grayson's side looked to make the most of their second opportunity having ceded second spot to MK Dons last weekend.

Beckford, who five years ago this week sent a Leeds side managed by Grayson into the second tier, rifled in the opener with a smart volley on the turn.

After Garner converted a spot-kick for his 27th goal of the season after the break, Beckford rounded off the victory with a precise long-range loft into the top corner over a hapless Murphy.

After suffering heartache in each of their previous nine play-off campaigns, North End fans will head to Wembley in two weeks' time to face either Swindon Town or Sheffield United with trepidation.