Kemar Roofe adamant Leeds United can still secure automatic promotion

WINGER Kemar Roofe says Leeds United remain in the hunt for an automatic promotion place, despite falling further behind Brighton after Tuesday night's agonising 1-1 draw at Fulham.

Fourth-placed United looked destined to record their third Championship win in succession when leading 1-0 at Craven Cottage deep into injury time, only for Tom Cairney to break Whites hearts with a stunning 95th-minute equaliser.

Leeds led through Tim Ream’s comical fifth-minute own goal but Cairney, who began his youth career with Leeds, sent an unstoppable 20-yard curler dipping over United goalkeeper Rob Green with practically the last kick of the game.

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The result nevertheless still further enhanced United’s claims of sealing a play-off place with seventh-placed Fulham remaining eight points behind Leeds, albeit with a game in hand.

But the Whites are now nine points behind second-placed Brighton, who restored order to their automatic promotion push with Tuesday night’s 2-0 triumph at Rotherham United.

With third-placed Huddersfield Town also three points in front of Leeds and with a game in hand, United are now as big as 20-1 to finish in the top two but Roofe has not yet abandoned hope that Leeds could seal promotion to the Premier League without the need for the play-offs.

Garry Monk’s men now have back-to-back home games to look forward to, with this Saturday’s Elland Road clash against 14th-placed Queens Park Rangers followed by the crunch visit of Brighton the following weekend.

“We are still fighting for second,” said Roofe.

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“Until it’s mathematically clear that we can’t, we are going to keep going and keep trying to claw our way back up.

“And the thing is, the pressure is not on us, it’s on everybody else.

“We are just trying to play with freedom and enjoy our football.”

A Leeds side missing injured top scorer Chris Wood were handed a total gift by Fulham in the fifth minute when a long free-kick by Kyle Bartley was sliced by Ream into his own net.

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Fulham were then wrongly denied a first-half equaliser when Neeskans Kebano’s rocket hit the crossbar and bounced over the line but was missed by the officials.

United had to sustain a barrage of pressure from the in-form Cottagers though did squander two fine chances to double the lead themselves through lively Spanish winger Alfonso Pedraza, who was first denied by Fulham goalkeeper David Button shortly before the break, before later thumping a second-half effort against the post.

Leeds were then reduced to 10 men when Kalvin Phillips was shown a second yellow card one minute from time but the visitors looked home and hosed until Cairney’s wonder strike in the 95th minute.

Fulham now face an uphill battle to overhaul Leeds but the Cottagers are only five points behind sixth-placed Sheffield Wednesday, who have played one game more.

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“We all came off the pitch frustrated really,” admitted Roofe. “Everyone dug in but unfortunately they got the goal and it’s disappointing.

“But the gaffer made it clear that we would wake up on a positive and realise that it was a good point because they are a good team and I won’t be surprised if they make the play-offs. They will probably deserve it.”