Leeds United's self-destructive streak is limiting progress being made under Sam Allardyce

The last two matches of Allardyce's four-match caretakership were always going to be bigger than the first two, and a 2-2 draw with Newcastle United means they go into them with a fighting chance of staying in the Premier League.

The bad news is their fate is still not in their own hands, and as Allardyce admitted, "That's our fault."

Leeds could have won had Patrick Bamford scored a 28th-minute penalty, and Max Wober and Junior Firpo not conceded two. The latter’s later red card leaves Leeds without a left-back at West Ham United.

Equally, once Callum Wilson put his spot kicks away the Leeds of Javi Gracia's latter days would have caved in, never mind not equalising through Rasmus Kristensen.

Progress is being made, it is just whether it is too little, too late.

What everyone of a Leeds persuasion could surely agree was it was a hard enough watch to leave them wishing they had a full glass in their hands, or something else.

"I needed two valium when I came off," joked Allardyce – at least he seemed to be joking.

His first big decision as caretaker manager was to drop goalkeeper Illan Meslier because his low confidence was damaging the team. Bamford not only remains but was on penalty-taking duty even though everyone in hindsight and most in foresight would choose Rodrigo.

Dropping Meslier was a risk, but Allardyce made a point of stressing how good Joel Robles was in keeping Newcastle out in open play.

With Willy Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville ready to come into the side and Rodrigo able to move centrally, dropping Bamford would not be. Keeping him in might.

When asked which players he was looking forward to working with in his opening press conference, Bamford's name was the first Allardyce dropped but this is not about saving face, this is about saving Leeds.

"I thought he was good, he held the ball up, caused them a few problems and got a cross in for the (first) goal," said Allardyce.

"Like everybody he needs to get a bit better next week but he scores goals when he gets the chance and we need goalscorers on the pitch."

For "he scores goals" read six in 36 Premier League appearances across two injury-hit seasons.

The effort is there and the assist Allardyce pointed to was a good one, measuring a cross after Jack Harrison brilliantly played him in at the byline. Rodrigo beat team-mate Weston McKennie to the cross, and Luke Ayling poached the loose ball when Nick Pope saved. Both showed the instincts Bamford needs to.

Allardyce punched the air in delight, his side in front despite allowing Newcastle to take the initiative.

When he said "I don't think we can afford to miss any chances or opportunities we might get," he was talking about the previous week's game at Manchester City but it applied almost as pertinently to a visit from another team flooded with new money hoping to play in next season's Champions League.

Penalties cannot be wasted.

Rodrigo, who worked hard on the right wing, was the natural choice.

It was more a good Pope save, diving right and beating Bamford to the rebound, than a poor kick but Callum Wilson showed how it is done.

A minute and 50 seconds later after Wober bundled Alexander Isak over in the area.

"All week it’s been ‘Stay on your feet in the final third, especially the box,’” moaned Allardyce. “Last week it was Pascal (Struijk) and he got a b******ing for diving in.”

Although Robles guessed the right way, the kick was so precise, it could not be saved.

It looked like the story was written there and then, especially when, in the second half, Firpo – booked for a studs-up tackle on Bruno Guimaraes – handled the ball as players seem to think they are entitled to when they feel they are fouled.

When referee Simon Hooper consulted his pitchside monitor he decided the contact from Isak did not excuse the handball.

Gnonto and Robles were booked for trying to put Wilson before the crowd took over but it did not stop him nervelessly hammering the ball high and down the middle.

And there we had it, Newcastle beat Leeds on penalties.

With 21 minutes left under Gracia there would have been time for it to get much worse. Under Allardyce there was time to get much better.

Out of the blue, Kristensen hit a bouncing ball in off Kieran Trippier, who had just been one of two players to block Bamford efforts.

The hosts had not finished shooting themselves in the foot – Bamford put a well-delivered Adam Forshaw free-kick wide off his shoulder and Firpo finally picking up a red card by fouling Anthony Gordon fractionally the safe side of the penalty area.

Leeds are still in the fight but being Leeds, they will not do it the easy way. Stock up on valium before Sunday's game at West Ham.

Leeds United: Robles; Ayling, Kristensen, Wober, Firpo; McKennie, Koch, Greenwood (Forshaw 46); Rodrigo (Aaronson 87), Bamford (Struijk 90), Harrison (Gnonto 64). Unused substitutes: Meslier, Roca, Gray, Summerville, Rutter.

Newcastle United: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Joelinton, Guimaraes, Willock (Anderson 87); Almiron (Gordon 72), Wilson (Saint-Maximin 72), Isak. Unused substitutes: Dubravka, Dummett, Lewis, Targett, Manquillo, Murphy.

Referee: S Hooper (Swindon).