Goals by Danny Graham and Marc Bridge-Wilkinson had stunned below-par Leeds in the supercharged League One play-off semi-final, first leg. Graham, who had a spell on loan at Leeds from Middlesbrough in 2006, got a touch to Simon Hackney's volley to give the Cumbrians a 32nd-minute lead and former Bradford City midfielder Bridge-Wilkinson struck the second, five minutes after the break.
Hackney's darting runs and crosses created havoc in the Leeds defence before he limped off in the 69th minute. Leading scorer Jermaine Beckford was back after injury for Leeds and Carlisle welcomed the return of skipper and defender Danny Livesey after suspension. The atmosphere was reminiscent of Leeds' nights in the Champions League as Elland Road was a cauldron of noise, mainly made by the home fans.
Yet it was the Cumbrians that proved their credentials for the big occasion. Carlisle boss John Ward had promised his team would attack and they almost took an eighth minute lead when Bridge-Wilkinson shot against the outside of a post. Although Freedman went close with two 20-yard efforts the visitors created plenty of chances, with Hackney to the fore.
Leeds failed to heed the warning and when Graham met Hackney's centre, keeper Casper Ankergren conceded a corner which Leeds couldn't clear and, when Hackney tried a stinging volley from the left corner of the penalty box, team-mate Graham saw the ball wrong-foot Ankergren and fly into the net off the back of his shorts.
Beckford should have equalised in the 43rd minute but, from Neil Kilkenny's defence-splitting pass, the striker's shot on the turn was well saved by Keiren Westwood. Leeds' vulnerability on their right side was exposed again by Hackney, and from Evan Horwood's pass, Bridge-Wilkinson stabbed the ball past Ankergren from eight yards.
Leeds captain Jonathon Douglas had a header brilliantly tipped over the bar and Huntington's shot was cleared off the line but Huntington eventually got his reward after five minutes and 30 seconds of injury time. The extra time on the original four minutes having been played after home substitute Andy Hughes seemed to stamp on the head of Horwood.