Brentford 1 Leeds United 1: Substitute Carayol rescues point for Leeds as Evans admits he got tactics wrong

Leeds found that out, taking advantage of an inability on Brentford’s part to turn dominance into goals to earn a late draw.

It was a credit-worthy Leeds response, owed in part to a trio of substitutions and a tactical switch. One of those introduced from the bench was Mustapha Carayol, who picked up the ball on the edge of the Brentford box in the last 10 minutes before curling it into the bottom corner beyond David Button to take a point back to Leeds.

The Whites had looked in trouble in the first period. The worst came when Sam Saunders picked the ball up before firing the ball into the bottom corner without facing a single challenge.

All of the three substitutions were answers to two questions that would have been swirling around Steve Evans’s mind in the build-up to this tie – was £575,000 signing Toumani Diagouraga ready for a full debut only a day after joining Leeds from Brentford, and was Chris Wood fully fit?

Back in the familiar surroundings of Griffin Park, Diagouraga was only ready for the bench.

He was introduced before the hour with Evans having watched his 4-4-2 struggle against Brentford’s five man midfield.

Evans, who claimed Leeds should have been awarded a penalty for a second-half foul on Mirco Antenucci, said: “The weather made it tough but it doesn’t excuse our passing. We didn’t seem to perform at any level in the first half. We changed the shape of the team early in the second half, changed the personnel, and I think we go away disappointed not to have won the game.

“My striker Antenucci was smashed in the box. In any other game that’s a penalty kick, unless you’re Leeds United. We’re disappointed with a point, despite a poor first 45 minutes.

“Brentford were passing it around us in the first half and we had to change the system. I picked the system but I wasn’t silly so I changed it at half-time. The second half was the real positive for us.

“If I’m being honest, we got our shape wrong in the first half and our tempo wasn’t good. In the second half we stood up and I’m really proud of the players. To pin Brentford back like they did was a credit to them.”

Wood replaced eventual goalscorer Carayol in the line-up. His return did not last longer than the 20th minute, the Kiwi international hitting the floor under no challenge before clutching his hamstring.

The high wind and powerful rain meant it was difficult for either side to take control of the game, but Brentford crafted the first real opportunity of any note.

It was fortune more than anything else that saw Liam Bridcutt deflect Maxime Colin’s dangerous cross over the bar, but the midfielder will not have been complaining, especially after the Bees wasted the resultant corner kick.

However, it was all too easy for Saunders to open the scoring for Brentford in the 28th minute. The Leeds defence mistook the midfielder for Moses, opening up before him like the Red Sea. Saunders reached the edge of the area, took one look up and fired the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.

Leeds were unfortunate not to have a penalty before the break. Lewis Cook played an excellent through ball to Mirco Antenucci, who replaced Wood. The Italian striker was held back by Harlee Dean, but referee Iain Williamson was unmoved.

Cook’s pass was, however, one of the few moments of quality the team in yellow shirts offered up in the first-half.

Evans’s side re-emerged from the dressing room unchanged in terms of personnel but with more vigour in their play. In part, that seemed to be the result of a change in shape, Doukara shifted out to the left-wing to provide more bodies in midfield.

Leeds quickly forced Brentford goalkeeper Button into his first real action of the game, saving well at Antenucci’s feet before getting down to stop Stuart Dallas’s rebound.

Button was then beaten by a Doukara lob from 35 yards, but the ball whistled past his post.

Antenucci’s quest for a penalty continued in the 56th minute, this time after he cut back onto his right boot on the left-edge of the area.

He was again denied by Williamson, Antenucci never likely to convince the referee with his protests as he fell to the ground.

Brentford always threatened. Marco Djuricin could have added a second if he had been slightly sharper after his introduction. He was only yards away from connecting with the ball after being played through.

It was yet another example of the hosts struggling to get clear shots at goal. And it cost them.

With less than 10 minutes to play, the ball fell to Carayol on the edge of the box.

The loanee took one touch before curling the ball into the bottom corner to give Leeds a draw that their improvement in the second-half at Griffin Park merited.

Brentford: Button; Bidwell, Dean, Barbet, Colin; Swift (Yennaris, 88), McEachran, Judge, Woods, Saunders (Djuricin, 64); Vibe (Gogia, 64). Unused substitutes: Bonham, Hofmann, Kerschbaumer, O’Connell.

Leeds United: Silvestri, Wootton, Bellusci, Cooper, Taylor; Dallas (Carayol, 75), Bridcutt, Murphy (Diagouraga, 59), Cook; Doukara, Wood (Antenucci, 18). Unused substitutes: Peacock-Farrell, Coyle, Adeyemi, Phillips.

Referee: I Williamson (Berkshire).

Guiseley have been handed a blow with work to ensure Nethermoor can fulfil Conference ground grading criteria for 2016-17 stopped – putting their chances of staging National League football in peril next term.

The Lions were already facing a serious race against time to make a whole raft of improvements to ensure Nethermoor can achieve an A grade ground status by a deadline of March 31.

But the club have been forced to call a halt to work after Leeds City Council posted a ‘stop notice’ at the ground, amid concerns about protected trees.

Guiseley chairman Phil Rogerson said: “The problems are not insurmountable and we are hoping that work gets back underway next week.”

Liverpool have reached the Capital One Cup final after beating Stoke 6-5 on penalties. The semi-final ended 1-1 on aggregate.