Leeds beaten as Carlisle take initiative
Dougie Freedman's 96th minute strike breathed new life into Leeds United's play-off campaign, despite a 2-1 defeat against Carlisle at Elland Road.Gary McAllister's men looked dead and buried until Freedman pounced to fire home and give his side hope of making it through to the League One play-off final.
That late strike changed the whole complexion of the tie with Leeds looking tired and weary after failing to find a way past a stubborn Carlisle backline and an inspired Kieran Westwood.
In front of a raucous home crowd, Carlisle displayed supreme confidence and authority on the first leg of this play-off semi-final, passing the ball quite beautifully at times as Leeds struggled to get to grips with their opponents.
And it came as little surprise when Carlisle eventually took the lead, although there was more than a hint of good fortune about it as Simon Hackney's 25-yard strike deflected off team-mate Danny Graham and into the net past a wrong footed Casper Ankergren in the Leeds goal.
It was no less than Carlisle deserved having already seen Marc Bridge-Wilkinson hit the post and Graham come within inches of scoring after sliding in to meet Hackney's pinpoint cross.
Leeds did create chances of their own with both Dougie Freedman and Jermaine Beckford bringing two stunning saves out of the inspires Westwood.
Carlisle continued to impress in the early part of the second-half with Ankergren producing a super block to deny Bridge-Wilkinson from adding a second from close-range.
But there was little he could do just sixty seconds later as Hackney's through ball sent Evan Horwood clear on the left and the defender picked out Bridge-Wilkinson, who slid the ball home from eight-yards.
Leeds piled forward as they looked to halve the deficit before their trip to Brunton Park next week, but Paul Huntington was denied by another superb Westwood save, despite being just three yards from goal.
The hosts continued their assault on the Carlisle goal during the four minutes of stoppage time and in the 96th minute, Leeds finally got the breakthrough they had so desperately craved.
Carlisle failed to clear their lines following a long ball into the box and Freedman pounced to blast the ball through the legs of a crestfallen Westwood and leave the tie on a knife edge.
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