Ipswich 2 Leeds United 1: Leeds's lightning strike from Souleymane Doukara offers false hope as Ipswich snatch victory

Every defeat lessens that possibility and this one was particularly hard to take, Brett Pitman’s late winner giving Ipswich Town victory in a game in which they had trailed after only 12 seconds.

Souleymane Doukara was the man who struck for the visitors inside the first minute, but a headed equaliser from Luke Chambers was followed by Pitman’s decisive input.

Tired legs had been an issue for Leeds over Christmas, and Saturday’s FA Cup match against Rotherham United had provided Evans with an opportunity to rotate, but he insisted wholesale changes were never in mind.

He was true to his word against Ipswich, making only three alterations to the side that started the 2-0 victory over the Millers.

Restored to the line-up were Scott Wootton and Lewis Cook, replacing Lewie Coyle and Luke Murphy, while Alex Mowatt returned to the side after an absence stretching back to December 17.

Mustapha Carayol retained his place in the side after a goalscoring debut.

To say Leeds’s start to the match was quick would be an understatement.

The Whites built tidily from kick-off without really looking threatening.

Ipswich won possession, but former Leeds midfielder Jonathan Douglas then lost it on the edge of the area.

The recently reinvigorated Doukara pounced, taking one touch before firing his shot low and hard past the statuesque Dean Gerken.

At 12 seconds it was the fastest goal in the Football League this season and the second quickest in Leeds’s history.

Ipswich looked shocked, but moved upfield and Marco Silvestri was forced to punch twice to clear an innocuous looking cross.

Giuseppe Bellusci almost fooled his own goalkeeper with a clearance over the bar and the resultant corner by Kevin Bru travelled across the six-yard box asking for, but not receiving, a decisive touch.

By half-time, Leeds were on the ropes. Had Silvestri not managed a stunning diving save from a curled effort by Ryan Fraser that was heading straight into the top corner, the scores would have been deservedly level at the break.

Leeds spent the entire half far too deep, inviting pressure onto themselves. Ipswich had 11 shots, United just one – Doukara’s opener.

That imbalance was righted within five minutes of the restart.

After Alex Mowatt put Leeds’s second shot of the game over the bar, Daryl Murphy’s cross at the other end was met perfectly by Chambers, who headed past Silvestri to put Ipswich on level terms, no less than they merited.

Cole Skuse flashed a shot just wide of Silvestri’s goal as Ipswich continued to come forward.

Leeds needed substitutions and they made them, Kalvin Phillips replacing the ineffective Mowatt and Stuart Dallas sent on for Carayol, and Ipswich’s assaults on the goal became less frequent.

Even so, Leeds never really looked like regaining their lead while Ipswich worked to make openings and finally took one.

They had gone close when a long kick downfield saw Silvestri charge out of goal only to miss the ball. Pitman was ideally placed in the centre, but the resultant cross proved just out of his reach as he stretched in an attempt to make contact.

Pitman made amends in the second minute of added time, latching onto a volleyed cross and heading past Silvestri to win the match. It reinforced the suspicion that the play-offs look beyond Leeds this season.

Ipswich Town: Gerken, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Knudsen; Skuse, Douglas, Fraser, Bru (Hyam, 84); Sears, Murphy (Pitman, 77). Unused substitutes: Bialkowski, Malarczyk, Maitland-Niles, Oar, Varney.

Leeds United: Silvestri, Wootton, Bellusci, Cooper, Taylor; Byram, Bridcutt, Mowatt (Phillips, 57), Cook (Antenucci, 78), Carayol (Dallas, 64); Doukara. Unused substitutes: Peacock-Farrell, Coyle, Bamba, Murphy.

Referee: F Graham (Essex).