Steve Cotterill was delighted by the mentality of his Bristol City players as they won the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy 2-0 against Walsall on Sunday.

In front of an excellent attendance of 72,315 at Wembley, a first-half header from Aden Flint and close-range finish from full-back Mark Little deservedly sealed the Robins’s victory.

The League One leaders were more clinical in front of goal and became the first ever team to win this competition three times.

The result means the Saddlers first Wembley appearance ends in defeat, while Cotterill left Wembley very happy.

“We’ve got a very, very young team but I thought they handled not only the occasion and won, which is what we came here for, but they played very well in it,” said the Robins manager.

“I told them that finals are for winners, they’re not for participants. They went against me today because they participated very well in it and ended up winning it. I am delighted with them and for them.”

Cotterill was also quick to praise a Walsall side that, despite being 37 points behind the Robins in League One, matched them for long periods of the game.

“Special mention to Walsall, I thought they made it a really good football game — good luck to them for the rest of the season. 

“It feels fantastic, we’d planned and we’d prepared for it very well, we had an extra day which helped us with it being a Sunday. I thought the players executed the plan just perfectly for us. That’s important for it because Walsall are a good side.

“You can look at the League tables and think that’s what made us red hot favourites as everyone loved telling me last week, that was a tough game and they’re a good side.”

The match was also notable for an impressive attendance that included over 40,000 Bristol City fans, something Cotterill said he was not surprised by.

“We’ve been supported fantastically well up and down the country all season so you know when you get to a Wembley final there is going to be an extra turnout. 

“It goes to show that this club could end up being supported by a Premier League crowd so it’s important that we carry on pushing the club forward.”

Bristol led midway through the first-half when an inswinging corner was headed in byFlint accurately into the far corner. The centre-half leapt well and though there was some suggestion of a foul nothing but was given, despite protestations from Walsall.

Both sides looked comfortable passing the ball around, though in the final third the quality that sees Bristol top the League One table regularly showed through.

Six minutes after the interval Bristol gained the crucial second goal as Little bundled in the rebound after his initial header was saved by Richard O’Donnell.

Walsall did not lack in endeavour and their persistence nearly paid off when Jordan Cook hit the post from the right with what may have been in a cross, or a shot.