Leeds United counter Carlisle's 'textbook fashion' argument

Carlisle won a penalty shootout 6-5 to book their place in the Wembley final, but Leeds have claimed three of their players were punched or pushed after hundreds of jubilant fans had spilled on to the pitch.

Leeds manager Simon Grayson spoke out after the match and the Yorkshire club have since lodged an official complaint with the Football Association.

Click here to read the match report from Brunton Park >>

Click here to read Simon Grayson's response to the pitch invasion >>

But Carlisle's managing director John Nixon said the situation had been dealt with "in textbook fashion" and that stewards and police officers had worked together to bring the pitch invasion under control "as quickly as possible".

Chief Inspector Mark Pannone, of Cumbria Police, who led the policing operation at the match, said the situation had been dealt with "swiftly and robustly".

He said: "We are disappointed by Mr Grayson's comments.

"The policing and the stewarding of the match was conducted in a restrained and professional manner.

"The job of the police is to support the stewards, to prevent disorder and respond to incidents as they occur, which is exactly what we did.

"As soon as the pitch invasion commenced we began working with the stewards to clear the pitch and protect the away fans."

But Leeds chief executive Shaun Harvey countered: "Our players found themselves in danger which isn't what you want to see.

"I have spoken to Simon (Grayson) this morning and on reflection he feels the same way as he did last night - that his players were put at risk.

"We will be contacting the FA to make the complaint, and we have spoken to Carlisle and the Cumbrian Police on the basis that we're going to make the complaint. We will make that and it'll be up to the FA to address that.

"What we hope to achieve is a review of the arrangements that were in place, that ultimately people learn a lesson from what happened, that a group of players are never subject to that again and if any lessons can be learned on a wider scale."

Harvey added: "It wasn't textbook in our view. It certainly wasn't the same textbook we would have used.

"They certainly succeeded in keeping the two sets of supporters apart, which I firmly believe was the priority for them.

"What they haven't done is protect the safety of our players, so if the roles had been reversed I would have stopped short of saying it was a textbook approach, although they are entitled to their view as we are to ours."

Leeds have also questioned the decision to stage the penalty shootout in front of the Carlisle fans instead of at the neutral end.

Harvey added: "How someone can justify that it's not safe to take them in front of an open terrace with no supporters is a question I'm glad I don't have to answer."