David Raven returned to the starting eleven for the second leg of the play-off semi-final, having served out the last suspension of his 3-match term at Elland Road, with Paul Arnison moving on to the bench.

United went in to the tie with a one-goal advantage, thanks to first leg goals from Danny Graham and Marc Bridge-Wilkinson.

As with the first leg, the game kicked off in a fantastic atmosphere with both sides quick in to the tackle, but it was United who made the first opening with a decent move down the right flank. Raven crossed it in, and a Dobie flick fell nicely for Graham. He laid it off for Grant Smith, but the bustling midfielder had to dig it out from under his feet before blasting it over the bar.

The Cumbrian crowd were stunned in the 10th minute though when a Leeds break levelled the tie. Freedman picked it up out wide and his centre was controlled, on the run, by Howson. The touch took him in to a scoring position and he left Westwood with no chance as he buried it in to the bottom of the net from close range.

Bradley Johnson found space on the left on 13 minutes, and wasted no time as he chose to send a high cross over to the far post. Beckford was waiting, but he couldn't get enough on to the downward header to test the keeper.

Prutton won a corner with a deflected 25-yarder in the 16th minute, as Leeds settled in to the flow of the game, but United kept the work rate up, trying to make things happen.

A neat move around the edge of the Carlisle area brought a shooting opportunity for Kilkenny in the 20th minute, but it was a difficult chance and Westwood was able to watch it all the way. Beckford then pounced on a weak Raven clearance as Leeds stayed forward, and Livesey was needed for the block as he lined up a curling shot.

The Cumbrians had a good spell of their own and Danny Graham was unlucky not to capitalise on a miscued Johnson clearance that flew across the face of the 6-yard box in the 26th minute. He had to stretch to get to it, and couldn't keep his effort on target.

United survived a goal mouth scramble in the 36th minute, when a corner spooned up in front of Westwood, and Livesey had to clear again as Richardson swept a dangerous ball in, with Leeds trying to keep the pressure on. Horwood was almost made to pay for a moment of indecision on 38 minutes when a weak back pass left Westwood stranded. Freedman was in quickly, and the United stopper had to spread himself to keep his side in the game.

The action quickly switched to the other end of the pitch, and Danny Graham was inches away from touching home a Smith cross that was whipped in with pace. The clearance eventually came to Raven, and his measured pass was chested down by Graham, who had spotted the run of Dobie. He went for a first time volley, and was disappointed as it spun away from goal.

Bridge-Wilkinson thought he'd scored his second goal of the week when a long free kick in to the box was nodded in to his path. The United midfielder set himself for the shot, but Ankergren was equal to it, diving low and parrying with his legs.

Half Time: United 0 - 1 Leeds

The second half kicked off at a frenetic pace, and Freedman was the first to test the keeper with a deflected 22-yarder that was never going to really trouble the nets as it angled straight in to his hands.

Beckford then had two sighters that were more of a threat to the Warwick Road roof, before Kilkenny dragged one wide when he had time on his side.

United then started to see more of the ball, and Bridge-Wilkinson had a low volley blocked on the edge of the area, after Hackney had worked an angle and delivered an excellent cross.

Prutton had a toe poke blocked in the 61st minute after a good move on the wing involving Kilkenny, Richardson and Howson, but clear cut chances were at a premium as things stayed tight.

Bridge-Wilkinson was ready to celebrate in the 73rd minute though when he wound up a powerful shot from the angle of the 18-yard box. Ankergren was static and was very relieved to see it bounce wide of his goal.

Westwood was back in action at the other end when Howson found space 20-yards out. The shot was precise, but so was the save as the big keeper got down to claw it away.

Two corners followed, and Bradley Johnson was left with his head in his hands from the second one as he got to it first, only to bullet his header against the outside of the upright, with Westwood a mere observer.

Douglas won a corner on 83 minutes, with a shot from distance, when Livesey's boot was enough to defend the target, and there were spaces starting to appear all over the park as legs started to tire.

Leeds pressed forward towards the end of the 90 minutes but, again, they found it very difficult to break through, until the very last minute of the game when Howson picked the ball up 22-yards out. He broke Carlisle hearts with a low shot that crept in to the far corner, ending the game in the cruellest of manners.

Goals

Leeds - Howson (10, 90)

United - Westwood, Raven, Livesey, Murphy, Horwood, Dobie, Lumsdon, Bridge-Wilkinson, G Smith, Hackney, Graham. Subs - Howarth, Arnison, Thirlwell, Taylor, Madine.

Leeds - Ankergren, Richardson, Huntington, Douglas, Prutton, Beckford, Howson, Johnson, Michalik, Kilkenny, Freedman. Subs - Marques, Carole, Kandol, Hughes, Lucas.

Away fans - 1645