Carlisle boss John Ward paid tribute to his side after they earned a 2-1 win over Leeds in the play-off semi-final first leg at Elland Road.The Cumbrians looked to have taken a huge stride towards a Wembley play-off final date against Doncaster or Southend after goals from Danny Graham and Marc Bridge-Wilkinson sealed the win.

Dougie Freedman's 96th-minute strike hauled the hosts back in the tie and Ward believes the stage is now set for an epic second leg at Brunton Park on Thursday.

"I'm really pleased and delighted with the way the game's gone," said Ward. "You don't want to concede a goal, but you come to Elland Road and that's always a possibility with the way they play, but for us to score twice.

"If you had said to me at six o'clock you can have a goal start when you go to Brunton Park on Thursday I'd have thanked you very much and stayed on the bus. But they're two very good teams and by no means do I think this is finished, there's a cracking game ahead on Thursday."

Ward added: "When you look at the size of the two football clubs, for us to be running as close as we are with Leeds United is a real credit to my team and my backroom staff for the way we've gone about it."

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