Leeds United vs Bristol City. Sky Bet Championship.
Elland RoadAttendance28,004.
Sunday 18 February 2018 23:45, UK
Two late Leeds goals earned Paul Heckingbottom his first point as head coach in a 2-2 draw with Bristol City at Elland Road.
The Robins looked comfortable as two early goals from Famara Diedhiou and Bobby Reid put them in full control, but threw away a commanding lead for the second week in a row after half-time.
Leeds had offered precious little before Pierre-Michel Lasogga headed through Frank Fielding's legs 18 minutes from time, and soon levelled as Kemar Roofe turned in Pablo Hernandez's corner.
The result takes Leeds eight points outside the top six and keeps their faint play-off hopes alive, but City are now seven points behind second-placed Cardiff and looking out of the race for an automatic promotion spot.
City settled the better against a nervous Leeds side, and found Felix Wiedwald in the home goal particularly shaky early on.
It soon became clear the visitors would target the German and when he flapped at a Hordur Magnusson long throw, Diedhou shot through a crowded area to open the scoring.
Magnusson, like his Icelandic colleagues against England in Euro 2016, was at it again five minutes later, as another throw reached Marlon Pack, whose driven effort was turned in on the line by Reid.
After half-time Diedhou wasted a glorious chance to play Korey Smith through, and within moments Pablo Hernandez had crossed for Lasogga to give Leeds hope.
The Whites had only picked up three points once conceding first all season, but City had thrown away a 3-0 lead to Sunderland only last weekend, and perhaps it was the jitters from that game which allowed the hosts to level.
Roofe slid in to finish Hernandez's whipped corner from the right, and Lasogga could even have snatched victory in injury time when he headed against the bar.
Lasogga got Leeds' resurgence underway and could have won it in injury time, only to be cruelly denied by the crossbar.
He never stopped running and against two big centre-halves in Aden Flint and Magnusson, won almost half of his aerial battles.
Paul Heckingbottom: "I thought the fans were fantastic. It was still 2-0 and there were not many people not singing. The scarves were out and they played a part in getting the point for their team today, possibly even three.
"That is what the fans' support deserved because that is what spurs the players on. My job is done at half-time and with the substitutions.
"I can't shout as loud as 30,000 here. They made a huge difference today.
"Once we got the goal and got back in it I felt that was the minimum we were going to do. And we had chances at the death to win it. We know three points got away from us."
Lee Johnson: "It is disappointing. It feels a bit different to last week.
"Leeds are a good side. A difficult atmosphere and environment to come and play in. I think we showed everything of what we are today. We are probably a bit inexperienced.
"I thought we were excellent first half, very functional in our play. We were forcing Leeds into a lot of errors and arguably could have gone 3-0 up.
"There was a clear momentum swing. That is where a little bit of experience and better decision making plays its hand. We are going to have to deal with it better than we have done."
Bristol City host Fulham, who they are two points behind, at Ashton Gate on Wednesday. Leeds travel to fourth-placed Derby County on the same evening in a game you can watch live on Sky Sports Football from 7.30pm.
