ROOFE GETS LEEDS BACK ON THE RISE

KEMAR ROOFE says Leeds felt hurt after blowing their chance of automatic promotion.

Leeds were pipped at the post by Sheffield United and the striker (above) admits they had to shake off the hangover quickly.

They are not at Wembley yet, but his 55th-minute goal gives Marcelo Bielsa’s men the advantage going into Wednesday’s second leg at Elland Road.

Roofe said: “We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We’re in the play-offs, which is still a massive achievement.

“We were always going to be disappointed because we put ourselves in a good position throughout the season, but we didn’t get the points, simple as that. We’ve got another chance.”

Roofe’s finish was clinical, but the curling centre from Jack Harrison to set him up was the thing that will live in the memory.

That and referee Craig Pawson’s bizarre decision to overrule himself after awarding Derby a 77th-minute penalty when Jayden Bogle went tumbling under a Harrison challenge.

Pawson pointed to the spot then conferred with his linesman before deciding he had not seen what he first thought.

Derby were fuming, not least because the Leeds players surrounded Pawson to protest.

Rams boss Frank Lampard said: “I thought the referee was the boss out there. It’s astounding – really strange.”

His skipper Richard Keogh added: “It was a shock when we saw the ref had changed his mind.

“Maybe that could spur us on if we look at it like that, but it’s not just that – it’s about us.”