THE verdict from both camps was that Wanderers were a knockout despite being knocked out. Reebok boss Sam Allardyce said he was a proud man - hailing his beaten battlers "magnificent" - while opposite number John Gregory admitted to being a relieved man.

Villa and England defender Gareth Southgate described Allardyce's men as "fantastic". Although he added that his side could not play any worse, that could be taken as a backhanded compliment to Wanderers' success in stopping his big name team-mates from performing.

Allardyce enthused: "It is tremendously disappointing to lose after playing so well.

"We had a lot of possession and created good chances considering you don't get many chances against Premiership sides or in semi-finals of the FA Cup.

"The penalty scenario is always difficult and the players who took them were very brave. David James made two good saves.

"We are very sad but very proud. The fans know we performed well and they gave us a great ovation.

"We had the lions share of the play in the first half and picked it up again in the second half and we got that great chance late on.

"I told the players that they have a great fighting spirit and that they can play against a side like this but I wouldn't pick out any individuals because I thought they were all magnificent. "It went right to the end, it was a thriller and you don't want to be on the wrong end of a game like that but unfortunately for us we were."

Gregory added: "I was relieved when Dean Holdsworth missed. I thought he was going to score, you would expect someone of his ability to stick it away. It didn't happen and we are in the final.

"Bolton had less to lose than us and there were times when I didn't think we were going to win it but I had a lot of faith in my defence and when it went to penalties I had a lot of faith in big David James.

"He's so big he makes that goal look like a matchbox. There's not a lot of room left when he's standing in the middle and he made two excellent saves from penalties. "Dion Dublin said when I sent him on as substitute that he would go on and score the winner and he did.

"It wasn't a wholly enjoyable afternoon but we are in the final and that's what matters. But there is no point in coming back to Wembley unless we come back to win it. We haven't won anything yet."

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