The fans can get the maps out for the way to North London as the Elland Road club are on the way to the famous stadium on Sunday week after reaching the League One play-off final in the most dramatic of circumstances at Carlisle.

Morley boy Howson became the toast of Leeds after scoring a fantastic injury time winner that took United through on a 3-2 aggregate.

The former Morley Victoria and Bruntcliffe High School pupil, who celebrates his 20th birthday next week, also scored the first Leeds goal that kept the promotion dream alive and was part of a midfield quartet that made sure that Carlisle were never the goal threat they were at Elland Road in the first leg on Monday night.

From start to finish Leeds were dominant as the players responded to Gary McAllister's challenge and his decision to keep the same starting line-up that lost 2-1 in the first leg proved a master stroke.

Unlike in the first game it was Leeds snapping into the tackles and closing their opponents down and they had the benefit of a great start when Howson burst forward from midfield to shoot home the opening goal in the tenth minute.

Jermaine Beckford had a great chance to make it two soon after, but could only head Bradley Johnson's cross weakly wide. Neil Kilkenny did bring a save out of home keeper Keiran Westwood with a volley from the edge of the box then Beckford saw an effort deflected wide and a Johnson blaster was blocked as the visitors took charge.

Finally, Carlisle had a worthwhile effort on 26 minutes when Danny Graham headed wide, but they were again grateful to their superb keeper as he was out quickly to save from Dougie Freedman after the livewire United striker had latched on to Evan Horwood's poor back pass.

The home side's only spell of pressure came towards the end of the half and it needed a great defensive header from Johnson to deny Graham. Scott Dobie then hit a volley well wide before right on half-time Casper Ankergren was called upon to make his only save of note, keeping out Marc Bridge-Wilkinson's low shot with his feet.

If Carlisle thought they were coming into the game, the half-time break did not do them any favours as it was Leeds creating more of the chances again and within a minute of the restart Freedman had tested Westwood with a 25-yard shot.

A couple of Beckford efforts went wide from outside the box and Kilkenny pulled a shot wide when well placed in the box, although a period of stalemate followed with nerves beginning to take hold.

Leeds gathered themselves for a big finish, however, and played their best football of the night in the last 20 minutes. The best move saw David Prutton unlucky to see a shot blocked by defender Danny Livesey following some intricate passing down the right between Kilkenny, Frazer Richardson and Howson.

Freedman thought he had scored with a low shot from the edge of the box that was heading for the corner of the net only to be saved by those expert fingertips of Westwood. Johnson then did have the keeper beaten on 77 minutes only to see his header from a Kilkenny corner hit the outside of the post.

Westwood was beaten again by a Jonathan Douglas long shot that looped up off Grant Smith and was relieved to see the ball go just over his crossbar. Carlisle were hanging on and it was all Leeds in the closing stages.

But just when the tie seemed to be heading for extra-time with the board showing just one minute of injury time to play, Leeds launched one last move, Freedman played the ball into Howson and the teenage midfielder did the rest with another left foot finish that sent the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Cue, wild celebrations on and off the pitch and a huge chorus of "Marching On Together."

They had left it late again, but there was no doubt that Leeds had deserved their win on the night. A shot count of 22 against eight and nine corners to two told just how much they had dominated.

They now wait to see if it will be Yorkshire rivals Doncaster Rovers or Southend United, with their Leeds fan manager Steve Tilson, in the final with these teams level going into their second leg tomorrow night.

MATCH FACTS
Carlisle United 0
Leeds United 2
(Howson 10, 90)
Thursday, May 15, 2008
League One play-off semi-final, second leg
Att: 12,873
Carlisle (4-2-3-1): Westwood; Raven, Livesey, Murphy, Horwood; Lumsdon, Smith; Dobie, Bridge-Wilkinson, Hackney; Graham.
Leeds (4-4-2): Ankergren; Richardson, Huntington, Michalik, Johnson; Kilkenny, Douglas, Howson, Prutton; Freedman, Beckford.
Referee: Alan Wiley
United MOM: Jonny Howson