Leeds United's woe is a big gain for Huddersfield Town

May 15 2009 by Chris Roberts, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Having survived the first half, Millwall must have felt fate was on their side when Leeds missed a penalty just after the restart.

Referee Mark Halsey saw Andy Frampton pull back Sodje in the box, despite few other people in the ground seemingly having noticed it, and Beckford had the chance to score from the spot.

But his weak effort was blocked by Forde, who also smothered up Delph’s follow-up effort, and the tension in the ground rose accordingly.

Within three minutes, though, that miss was forgotten as Parker’s cross from the left found Becchio in the middle, who slid in between two defenders to poke home.

With time running out, Tony Dunne’s frantic defending denied Beckford a chance of a breakaway goal, and a minute later, the full value of that intervention became clear.

Dave Martin’s cross from the left found substitute Grabban, and he knocked the ball back into the path of Abdou, who stabbed home from close range.

In the dying seconds Bradley Johnson saw a long-range effort flash just inches wide of the post, as Leeds went all out for a second goal.

But despite six minutes of stoppage time, the Millwall defence stood firm and they held on to reach their first ever play-off final.

They will face either MK Dons and Scunthorpe at Wembley, who tonight play their second leg after the opener at Glanford Park finished 1-1.