Leeds United vs Milton Keynes Dons. Sky Bet Championship.
Elland RoadAttendance24,356.
Saturday 2 January 2016 19:34, UK
MK Dons defender Antony Kay's late own goal secured Leeds a 1-1 draw and denied the visitors a first Sky Bet Championship away win since the opening day of the season.
Kay headed beyond Dons goalkeeper David Martin with three minutes left when it appeared Rob Hall's neat first-half finish would be enough to earn the visitors their first success on the road since a trip to Leeds boss Steve Evans' former club Rotherham in August.
Leeds extended their unbeaten run to seven matches but they have drawn their last three, while the point will do little for the Dons' fight to climb away from relegation trouble.
Souleymane Doukara made his first league start of the season in place of Chris Wood and Tom Adeyemi made way for Lewis Cook in in Leeds' midfield. Kay, Darren Potter, Nicky Maynard, Josh Murphy and Rob Hall all returned for MK Dons.
Dons boss Karl Robinson was forced into another change in the 15th minute, during which time neither side had created a goalscoring chance, when Carl Baker felt the full force of Sam Byram's excellent last-ditch challenge.
Baker tried manfully to continue after treatment but was replaced by Dean Bowditch before Leeds were lucky not to concede a 23rd-minute penalty when Charlie Taylor slid in on Rob Hall in the box.
Bamba was then given the benefit of doubt for his body-check on Maynard, which halted the busy striker in full flow, with referee Jeremy Simpson showing the Leeds skipper a yellow card in the 28th minute when it could possibly have been a red.
Maynard was causing Leeds problems and made another telling contribution on the half-hour mark when the Dons took the lead, bursting clear down the right and crossing for Hall to steer home a neat low finish from 15 yards.
Leeds had grown increasingly disjointed as the first half progressed and head coach Evans sent on striker Mirco Antenucci for Murphy at the interval.
Cook's charge up field from his own penalty area raised the volume levels and led to Byram being fouled by Kyle McFadzean on the edge of the area. Taylor curled the resulting free-kick on to the outside of Dons goalkeeper Chris Martin's left-hand post.
Antenucci was next to threaten for Leeds with a surging run into the box and his deflected cross forced Martin into a low save.
The visitors were pressed on to the back foot for the most part by now, but Maynard escaped the attentions of Cooper for a clear run on goal and only a terrific 69th-minute save by Marco Silvestre from his goalbound shot kept Leeds in the game.
It had been an afternoon of frustration for most in an Elland Road crowd of 24,356 with too many below-par individual displays, but with the clock ticking down the home side mounted another attack.
Taylor lofted ball into the box and stretching Dons defender Kay's misdirected header bounced beyond Martin for the equaliser.
Leeds continued to live dangerously at the back during five minutes of time added on, but the game ended all-square.
"We need to strengthen the group and we're working really hard to try and do that. We're working hard to make that happen but we're not going to be held to ransom on wages or fees. There's a lot of work going on behind the scenes."
"It's the greatest game in the world. That's why it is, because of its unpredictability. A team that has come to one of the greatest grounds in the country and performed the way we did, with no fear on a pitch that was difficult, we can be immensely proud of that performance."
