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Carlisle Utd 0 Leeds Utd 2 (2-3 on aggregate)
League One Play-off semi-final 2nd leg

Carlisle United - Westwood, Raven, Livesey, Murphy, Horwood, Dobie, Lumsdon, Bridge-Wilkinson, G Smith, Hackney, Graham. Unused subs - Howarth, Arnison, Thirlwell, Taylor, Madine.

Leeds United - Ankergren, Richardson, Huntington, Douglas, Prutton, Beckford, Howson, Johnson, Michalik, Kilkenny, Freedman. Unused subs - Marques, Carole, Kandol, Hughes, Lucas.

Justice was served in a large measure last night when the team that got 91 points on the pitch during the season and missed the League One title by two points got to the Wembley play-off final. 

The 2-0 Leeds Utd victory over Carlisle United came courtesy of local Leeds lad Jonny Howson scoring in each half.

It was a stunning victory - an adjective often over-used in football but appropriate for this match. Howson scored with 90 minutes and 40 seconds on the clock just as the stadium announcer had said that there would be only one minute of added time. The referee played an extra minute after the goal and Carlisle managed to get the ball in the box but didn’t threaten the Leeds goal and then it was all over. Leeds fans and players celebrated and the Carlisle Utd players were understandably shocked, some in tears.

The fact that there was so little added time was due to the spirit in which the game was played. The game had no bookings - surely a record for a second leg play-off match - and no substitutions. I cannot remember the last time I saw that in a game.

Carlisle United and their fans must feel like they have had something taken from them but in truth the job was only half done after the first leg victory and the overall result was fair.

Carlisle had a better chance than Leeds of securing automatic promotion during the regular season and blew it at the death.

They dominated the 1st leg at Elland Road but didn’t play to the final whistle and how important Dougie Freedman’s goal was to be. Last night was the reverse of the first tie, with Leeds dominating the match for long periods with Carlisle limited to a handful of chances compared the hatful they made in the first leg. The Leeds midfield played the ball around last night, having been AWOL in the first leg. The Leeds fullbacks, Bradley Johnson and Frazer Richardson were more effective in defence in preventing the crosses that had made Carlisle so dangerous in the first leg and both were tireless in attack, Johnson hitting the post late on with a header and Richardson linking up with the attack and pumping in cross after cross. Jonathan Douglas deserves credit for his hard work in front of the defence too. Worthy of mention was Carlisle-born Paul Huntington who suffers dog’s abuse all night from the home fans but that would have been light relief compared to the threatening phone calls he received earlier in the year from the brain-dead sections of Carlisle’s support - no one savoured the Howson goal more than Paul.

In the end Carlisle Utd were undone by not playing to the final whistle again, when extra-time was surely in the mind of everyone on the pitch including the Leeds home-grow hero Jonny Howson.

The result still doesn’t mean Leeds United are promoted but a trip to Wembley is a fitting reward for the loyal and active support given by tens of thousands of Leeds fans up and down the country this season. It is justice.

Meanwhile spare a thought for Lord Mawhinney who will have spent a sleepless night trying to work out how he can avoid being present at the League One play-off final or what it will be like to spend the worst two hours of his life on national and international television being verbally abused by 50,000 Leeds fans. Let’s hope that as he pours the gin on his cornflakes this morning the wretched little man considers the “revolver in library solution” and does us all a favour.

“It is better to keep your mouth shut and be assumed an idiot than to open your mouth and prove it beyond all doubt”. Advice that, sadly, Lord Mawhinney, peer of the realm and Chairman of the unfortunate Football League, unwisely choose not to take this evening.

Commenting on the tribunal decision not to reinstate the 15 points to Leeds United, Mawhinney oozed to the YEP:

“On behalf of the board and the League [surely by now the League clubs are sick of this imbecile talking on their behalf - can he do nothing on his own?], I welcome the panel’s findings in their entirety [I haven't read it all but we won so it must be very good about me - must remember to order extra copies as Xmas presents for the family]

“It has found that the actions we took were reasonable and appropriate in these unprecedented circumstances [ten clubs have gone into adminstration in recent years - three this season alone - note to Mawhinney, look up the word "unprecedented"] and that we had the power to act as we did.

“Now I believe we should draw a line under the whole process. [In case someone proposes a formal Football League inquiry into my mis-handling of this whole affair and realises I got away with murder by the skin of my teeth. Where the hell is a good spin-doctor when you need one?]

“Leeds United are a valued member of the Football League family. [You lying, hypocritical... politician, yes, politican, says it all really - would you really believe a word coming out of this man's mouth?]

We should all now get back to the business of football and enjoy the climax to what has already been an exciting season.” [Which has been ruined for all by your inadequate leadership and procrastination]

I now formerly tender my resignation as Chairman of the Football League and intend to retire to my library with a revolver and finally do the decent thing - despite being a politician. [Did he just say that or is it wishful thinking...]

Well they all hate Leeds United and its fans but when there’s a chance of getting their hands on Leeds’ money the Football League and the other clubs in the League One play-offs just can’t get enough of them.

Rubbing their grimy paws with glee at the thought of a cut of a 40,000 gate at Elland Road the Football League and the other clubs in the play-offs have rejected the application by Leeds United to have the home leg of the League One play-offs classed as category C game and thus reward fans for their fantastic support by leaving some money in their pocket.

No, the Football League and the other shameless clubs want to squeeze every penny out of their fans. Have they not heard of the increases in energy, food and petrol prices and mortgages repayments? Do they think football fans have bottomless pockets? Still, maybe that’s why most of them play in front of less than 15,000 week in, week out. Of course, Lord Mawhinney is a former politician, so why would we expect him to relate to the needs of the ordinary working man, Gordon Brown clearly lives in a world of his own!

Screw the fans - another great decision from the Football League and Planet Mawhinney.

Still as Ken Bates said this evening on Radio Yorkshire in an avuncular style, but with threatening undertones of the Gestapo, “we have long memories and know those clubs who may want help in the future“.

Ken Bates speaking on Yorkshire Radio, gave an impromptu and biting commentary on the findings of the arbitration panel, finishing with the memorable Ian Hislop quote, “If this is justice I’m a banana!”

Bates rejected the criticism of the panel over the delay in bringing the appeal, pointing out that Leeds United had been trying to be heard since August. He said the delay was with the FA who eventually said, “sue the Football League”, which Leeds dutifully did. only to be told at the High Court that the dispute had to be settled by arbitration - who says so? The FA, under their rule K! The FA failed to mention this when Leeds first asked them to hear an appeal!

Bates pointed out that the tribunal criticised the Football League procedures, saying it is wrong that a dispute with a football club should be decided by fellow clubs because of self-interest and also that banning an appeal to an independent tribunal is wrong. This would not have happened in the Premier League as their rules allow for an appeal to an independent panel immediately. The FA board have already said that they have to have a review of their procedures.

Bates threw down a challenge, “Mawhinney and the board of the Football League should consider their positions and resign because their handling of this matter has been disgraceful.”