Howson followed up a 10th-minute strike by scoring seconds before the final whistle at Brunton Park to earn Leeds a sensational 3-2 aggregate victory over Carlisle and secure the club's place in the League One play-off final.

United were under extreme pressure last night after suffering a 2-1 defeat in the semi-final first leg at Elland Road, but Gary McAllister's players recovered from an abject home display to produce a perfect away performance and move to within one game of reclaiming their place in the Championship.

Howson admitted his starting place had been at risk last night after his quiet display in the first leg, but McAllister was rewarded for a brave show of faith as an unchanged line-up reversed their narrow deficit with a 2-0 win.

Howson said: "If Gary McAllister had put me on the bench, I'd have had no complaints.

"The other night I was way below my standard but I can put it down to being one of those games. As soon as I found out I was starting, I thought 'I've got to repay him' because he kept faith with me.

"The thought that he would drop me had crossed my mind a few times because I'd been nowhere near the performance I was capable of, but he had a word with me, said I wasn't good enough on Monday and that I needed to up it.

"It hasn't sunk in yet but obviously I'm delighted. With the second goal, I didn't think I connected with it as well as I would have liked, and when it hit the net I didn't know how to react. It was just a massive buzz.

"It's been a hard season but we have to go to Wembley now. The job's not fully done."

McAllister admitted before last night's match that he expected the first goal to be pivotal and Howson's early finish – a low volley from six yards – gave Leeds control of a game which Carlisle had briefly dominated.

Bradley Johnson hit the post deep in the second half as the match edged towards an extra half-hour, but Howson struck with a left-footed shot in the one and only minute of injury-time to complete a famous victory.