COVENTRY: Fulop, Whing, Page, Shaw, Hall, Scowcroft, Hutchison,Doyle (Thornton 84), McSheffrey (Impey 79), John, Adebola.
Subs Not Used: Ince, Williams, Morrell.
LEEDS UTD: Sullivan, Kelly, Butler, Kilgallon, Crainey,Douglas (Moore 74), Derry, Miller, Blake (Healy 61), Hulse,Lewis.
Subs Not Used: Bennett, Einarsson, Bakke.
Referee Clive Oliver saw a hand ball three minutes from time, and suddenly the promotion push took an amazing twist.
A controversial late penalty and the pressure on David Healy was unbelievable. But credit to the Northern Ireland international, he gave Leeds a share of the points after Coventry-born striker Gary McSheffrey had scored at the Ricoh Arena, and the Blades are under the cosh.
Leeds were handed the chance to keep their automatic promotion aspirations alive when Andrew Whing was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box. Healy drilled the ball low into the bottom corner past Marton Fulop for his 12th goal of the season to further close the gap on second-placed Sheffield United.
Earlier, McSheffrey had opened the scoring when he was set up by strike partner Dele Adebola. Adebola held off three Leeds defenders inside the penalty area before a deft flick with the outside of his foot let in McSheffrey who squeezed his low shot inside the post after 26 minutes.
The goal spurred Leeds into life and Kevin Blackwell’s side went close to equalising almost immediately when Jonathon Douglas broke clear inside the area, but Fulop was quickly off his line to block with his legs.
Leeds always looked dangerous on the break and on-loan Manchester United midfielder Liam Miller twice went close to pulling Leeds level either side of the hour, but missed the target on both occasions.
Substitute Healy, on as a 61st-minute replacement for Blake, should have done better from the angle of the six-yard box when drilled a shot into the midriff of Fulop soon after.
Leeds continued to apply the pressure and desperately searched for the equaliser, which was presented to them at the death in the shape of the spot-kick and Healy duly obliged from 12 yards.
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