Leeds left the door open for Leicester and Ipswich to increase their leads at the top of the Championship after a 1-1 draw at managerless Rotherham on Friday night.
Crysencio Summerville gave Daniel Farke’s men the lead with a superb solo effort after only six minutes, but right on the stroke of half-time, Hakeem Odoffin fired a clinical equaliser past Illan Meslier to restore parity.
Leeds – who had 18 shots and 74 per cent possession on the night – thought they had won the game late on, when substitute Jaidon Anthony slammed in Willy Gnonto’s square ball, only for the offside flag to swiftly follow celebrations.
The third-placed visitors have narrowed the gap to the current top two to seven points, but they could find themselves 10 points outside the automatic promotion places on Saturday night, should they beat Swansea and West Brom respectively.
Rotherham – currently led by caretaker Wayne Carlisle after Matt Taylor’s sacking – move to within three points of exiting the relegation zone.
How Leeds were frustrated in the Yorkshire derby
Leeds set their stall out early at the New York and, before the game had had a chance to settle into a rhythm of any sort, they were in front.
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Crysencio Summerville puts Leeds ahead against Rotherham with a brilliant solo effort
Glen Kamara fed Ethan Ampadu, whose crisp pass found Summerville on the left. The Netherlands U21 international beat the offside trap, quickly broke into the area and deliciously curled in his seventh goal of the season.
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Hakeem Odoffin brings things level at the New York Stadium
Farke’s side dominated the ball thereafter and probably should have extended their lead as a result. Summerville drew a strong save from Viktor Johansson and Kamara blasted into the side netting, with Joel Piroe wasting a couple of chances, too.
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Clinton Morrison and Jermaine Beckford felt that Rotherham defender Lee Peltier was fortunate not to concede a penalty and escape a red card after an over-the-top challenge on Leeds’ Dan James.
Instead, in first-half stoppage-time, Rotherham levelled with their first shot on target. Christ Tiehi’s slide helped the ball into the Leeds area, from where Odoffin clinically equalised after the ball took a fortunate nick off Joe Rodon’s leg.
They almost turned the game in their favour just after the break, too. Ampadu’s poor header was seized on by Sam Nombe, whose shot beat Illan Meslier, only for Liam Cooper to arrive on the scene and make the crucial block.
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Leeds were denied a late winner as Patrick Bamford was deemed to be offside prior to Jaidon Anthony’s strike
Chasing the win, Farke sent on Gnonto, Patrick Bamford and Ian Carlo Poveda. Subsequently, Gnonto lashed an effort over, Bamford’s pot-shot skipped wide, while fellow sub Pascal Struijk headed a ball to the back post agonisingly wide under little pressure.
Leeds thought they had completed the job late on when Anthony prodded in Gnonto’s cross after a spell of intense pressure, but the offside flag came to Rotherham’s rescue, with Bamford having strayed as he tried to attack it first.
Carlisle: Rotherham players were awesome tonight
Rotherham’s interim manager Wayne Carlisle:
“I thought the boys were awesome tonight. We asked them before the game to work their socks off and be competitive and I thought they did that, to a man. The subs coming off the bench amplified that as well. That [the second half] was more like us at home. In the first half, we were trying to get going and were trying to grow into the game. In the second, we were a lot more confident and put a plan in place.
“We had our match prep for Hull [in midweek] this afternoon, so we’re all ready for that and we’ve just got to make sure we get the boys as fresh and recovered as possible to go again.”
Farke: We enjoyed our dominance too much
Leeds’ Daniel Farke:
“The first feeling is disappointment. It’s the Championship. To win away, on the road, is always difficult – everything has to be perfect. I think we missed [the chance] in the first 45 minutes to bury the game and then, sadly, we had a wrong decision in added time. When we compare what we have created and they have created, it shouldn’t be a 1-1. The game should already be buried.
“The players didn’t switch off, but I got the feeling we enjoyed ourselves and our dominance a bit too much. It felt like we played at 98 per cent because we did enough to dominate the game, to create chance after chance, to not give anything away. If our tempo was 100 per cent, I’m sure we’d have buried the game already.”
What’s next?
Rotherham are back in action at 7.45pm on Tuesday November 28, when they travel to the MKM Stadium to take on Hull, while Leeds return at 7.45pm on Wednesday November 29, when they welcome Swansea to Elland Road.
Both matches will be available to watch on Sky Sports Football Red Button.