Proud boss Rob Smith hailed a famous FA Trophy victory for AFC Telford United – and talked up their Wembley chances.

The Bucks put on a super show at Kettering on Saturday, Danny Carey-Bertram scoring the only goal to secure their place in this afternoon’s quarter-final draw.

Telford had to cope without several key players who were either injured or cup-tied, but more than matched their Blue Square Premier hosts and will now feature in the last eight on Saturday, February 21.

Now Smith sees no reason why they cannot replicate the success of the old Telford United, who reached five Wembley finals in the 1970s and 1980s.

“We really showed our spirit and our formation worked – though we were forced into it by injuries,” he admitted. “I said at half-time we were giving them a little too much respect because we’d shown we were as good as them, and I was really pleased with the performance.

“For a club at our level to get to the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy is incredible and I’m a very proud manager.

“We’ve beaten every Conference side we’ve played this season. We know if we are to get to the final we might have to do it twice more, but why not?”

Smith also hit out at Kettering boss Mark Cooper, who had been less than complimentary about the Bucks since the two sides met in the Setanta Shield a couple of weeks ago.

“There’s been a lot of poor comments about us at the Kettering end but we’ve kept our mouths shut and said we’ll do it on the park,” said Smith.

“What are they going to say now – that they had their second string out? We beat them fair and square again.

“I’m very disappointed that Mark Cooper didn’t even shake my hand at the end – I did when they won the league by beating us last year – but who cares, we’re through!”

Cooper, however, was quick to admit the better team had won.

By CHRIS HUDSON