Not yet over the line
Last-gasp equaliser foils United after Lascelles goal:
NEWCASTLE United seem to be determined to earn promotion the hard way.
The Magpies looked like they had set themselves up with the perfect chance to seal promotion over the Easter period by grabbing the lead against Garry Monk’s side.
However, a stoppage-time equaliser from Chris Wood means they now face a nervous wait to seal a Premier League place and their hopes of winning the title have taken a major dent after Brighton triumphed earlier in the day.
It had all been looking good for Newcastle when Jamaal Lascelles flicked his side in front after 67 minutes.
However, the Magpies failed to add to his secondhalf strike and then switched off in almost unforgiveable fashion late in the game. Newcastle survived an early scare with 10 minutes gone after failing to clear their lines from a free-kick. Alfonso Pedraza hammered a shot off the crossbar before Kemar Roofe’s follow-up was clawed away by Karl Darlow. On 15 minutes, United won a corner on the right-hand side thanks to Isaac Hayden. Matt Ritchie played a short corner with Jonjo Shelvey before the ball eventually fell back into Ritchie’s path - only for Rob Green to make a save. Ten minutes later Ritchie won a free-kick on the left-hand side and Shelvey’s inswinging corner almost caught out Green but he punched the ball clear at the last second. Ritchie had an effort deflected over as the game drifted past the 30-minute mark and United won a succession of corners but could not manage a shot on target.
The Magpies, though, went close five minutes before the interval.
Yoan Gouffran nicked the ball in midfield before rattling a shot off the base of the post, Ritchie then scooping the rebound over the top.
Moments later, Chancel Mbemba’s header was parried away to safety by Green as Newcastle turned up on the heat on Leeds.
The teams went in level at the break after a hard-fought first period.
In the second half, Unted started brightly with Hayden winning a freekick near the edge of the box.
However, Ritchie’s curling setpiece was tipped away by Green as the Leeds stopper stood up to the pressure again.
There were penalty of appeals from Newcastle after Luke Ayling tussled with Mbemba but referee Chris Kavanagh waved away the protests.
With 64 minutes gone, Alex Mitrovic flicked the ball past Green but was denied by covering defender Pontus Jansson, who headed clear at the front post.
Mitrovic played a big part in the opening goal three minutes later.
Gouffran’s right-wing cross found the Serbian international at the back post and he headed it across the face of goal - Jamaal Lascelles applying the finish in the air to open the scores.
Newcastle continued to create opportunities in the closing stages with Shelvey whipping a free-kick wide and Mitrovic heading over.
Mitrovic broke free in the last minute to release substitute DeAndre Yedlin - but his cross was palmed away by Green.
They would all prove to be costly misses.
Roofe’s last-gasp cross found the unmarked Wood in the box and he made no mistake to scramble a point for Leeds.
United still have an eight-point gap over third-placed Huddersfield but the Terriers have a game in hand.