Bees denied by late Leeds equaliser

Leeds 1 Brentford 1

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Pontus Jansson headed in an 88th-minute equaliser to deny Brentford a victory over the Championship leaders at Elland Road.

The Bees were on course for three points in West Yorkshire when Neal Maupay struck his 10th goal of the season, from the penalty spot after goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell controversially brought down Ollie Watkins.

But Swedish centre-back Jansson rose highest in a crowded penalty area to divert Gjanni Aloski’s free-kick into the net to earn a point for Leeds.

Luke Ayling was sent off for the hosts in injury time for a second booking.

Brentford engineered the first clear-cut chance of the contest 12 minutes in, following a sweeping counter-attack when Sergi Canos broke at pace before sliding the ball to skipper Maupay, whose low shot was tipped wide by Peacock-Farrell.

Dean Smith’s side were enjoying the better of the play and Canos was next to try his luck, cutting inside from the left touchline to beat a couple of the Whites’ defenders and thump a low shot which was dealt with by Peacock-Farrell.

Up the other end, Leeds fashioned their best opening with Tyler Roberts profiting from a well-worked move to drive low at goal, but his shot was held by Bees goalkeeper Luke Daniels.

Watkins then galloped into the penalty area, danced past Ayling and saw his shot loop off captain Liam Cooper and onto the crossbar, dropping to top-scorer Maupay, who was denied from close range by a sprawling Peacock-Farrell.

Immediately after half-time, Canos drove at Leeds’ defence and forced Jansson into fouling him right on the edge of the penalty area, with Watkins floating the free-kick over Peacock-Farrell’s crossbar.

Buoyed by an expectant home crowd, Leeds were denied when Daniels superbly pushed Kalvin Phillips’ close-range effort onto the post after a corner had dropped to him.

Brentford led in the 62nd minute when Watkins went down theatrically under a challenge from Peacock-Farrell in the penalty area, with referee Jeremy Simpson pointing to the spot before booking the Northern Ireland international.

Up stepped Maupay, who rolled his right-footed penalty into the bottom-left corner, sending Peacock-Farrell the wrong way.

Leeds almost levelled five minutes later when Cooper beat Daniels to the ball following Alioski’s free-kick from the right, with the defender glancing his header narrowly wide.

Pushing for an equaliser, Roberts turned Jack Harrison’s cross from the right wide prior to substitute Lewis Baker bending a 25-yard low free-kick just beyond the post with his first touch.

Leeds secured a point in dramatic circumstances when Alioski’s free-kick from the right was headed in by Jansson before Ayling was sent off four minutes into added time for a foul.