Dougie Freedman gave Leeds hope for the second leg on Thursday with an injury-time strike to reduce the arrears after Carlisle had led 2-0 five minutes into time added on of the play-off semi-final first leg.

Carlisle led courtesy of goals from Danny Graham and Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, but Freedman has given Leeds hope, and boss McAllister said: "If we are to get through these ties and get to Wembley and maybe get out of this division it is going to be done the hard way.

"I thought their keeper was excellent, probably man of the match and we got done with a couple of counter-attacks.

"We spoke before the game about it being 180 minutes not 90 minutes and we played right to the 96th minute. We keep going, keep grinding away."

Leeds trailed 2-0 until on-loan striker Freedman popped up to scramble home what could turn out to be a crucial goal over the course of the two-legged tie.

Graham scored the only goal of the first half when he deflected home Simon Hackney's volley and Bridge-Wilkinson added Carlisle's second minutes into the second period.

Striker Jermaine Beckford recovered from his ankle injury to play, and went close to giving Leeds the lead only two minutes before Graham's 31st opener. But his 20-yard effort was tipped around the post by visiting keeper Keiren Westwood.

Four minutes into the second half the visitors doubled their lead, Bridge-Wilkinson netting from close range after Evan Horwood swept the ball into the danger area.

Things went from bad to worse for Leeds when Beckford, who had to pass a fitness test, hobbled off after 58 minutes to be replaced by Tresor Kandol.

But they gradually fought their way back into the game.

Former Northampton Town midfielder Bradley Johnson and Neil Kilkenny both hit long-range efforts wide, while Johnson fired in a string of corners with time running out, one of which saw Paul Huntington's close-range effort force a magnificent save from Westwood.

And with time running out, Freedman latched onto Paul Huntington's long ball into the box and forced the ball home to give Leeds - second best for long periods - a fighting chance.