Leeds prioritise league after Jermaine Beckford penalty sets up replay

There is an element of protocol for the lower-league footballer after he has tasted the giddy high of cup triumph. They owe it to the club and the supporters to talk about their "bread and butter", how ­occasional nights at the top table will not have them going all picky on us. As such, a succession of Leeds United players were keen to stress that "it's all about Swindon Town away on Tuesday night now". Leeds saw Norwich City steal a march on them on Saturday to usurp them as the League One leaders, while Charlton ­Athletic will draw level on points at the top with both of them if they defeat Leyton Orient at home this evening. Leeds have games in hand but they are acutely aware that they have not won since their famous success at Manchester United in the third round of the FA Cup on 3 January. "More important for me than the FA Cup is the game against Swindon," said the manager, Simon Grayson. On occasions such as this, however, it is simply wrong not to dream. Romance ought to get the better of pragmatism, even in Yorkshire. Leeds are not your run-o-t'mill cup minnows. They feel that they belong on such stages, against the leading opposition. As at Old Trafford, this was as much about pride, about proving to the nation that the club can still mix it with the best, despite all of their 21st century tribulations. And, inevitably, as Jermaine Beckford and Robert Snodgrass applied the stardust to the collective grit, the memories came flooding back. Roll on the replay at Elland Road. "You turn up at Elland Road against Liverpool," said Snodgrass, recalling the Carling Cup tie against Rafael Benítez's team from earlier in the season, "and it's just like the Champions League nights are back again. It's first-class. We just need to keep believing in ourselves and realise that we can play among these top stars. We're not scared of any team; Liverpool, Man United, Tottenham ... It shows you we are on the way up and we can compete. We can beat Tottenham at Elland Road. It's up to us to produce." There was liberation for Leeds against a Tottenham team that has hit what they have to hope will prove a temporary blip. Week in, week out, Leeds face opponents who are that bit more motivated to claim their scalp. Being a big fish in a small pond has its perils. But it was a different situation at White Hart Lane and, as the home crowd chuntered after Beckford's first equaliser, Leeds grew in assurance. They matched Tottenham throughout the second half. "Sometimes, you could hear the Spurs fans getting frustrated," said the Leeds goalkeeper Casper Ankergren, who saved a ninth-minute penalty from Jermain Defoe. "It's similar to our own fans when we play at home because they expect us to win every time and if we're not winning then they will get on our back. It's not very nice when your crowd does that to you, we know that for ourselves, but that's the kind of pressure you have to deal with." Post-match talking points were plentiful but chief among them were the penalties. Defoe got his after Michael Doyle had lunged at Danny Rose, the former Leeds trainee, whose every touch was barracked by the travelling fans, and Defoe might have had another when he was challenged by Jason Crowe in the 23rd minute, after sprinting clean through. The one that Leeds got, in the 95th minute, was the result of a similar ­controversy, this time Michael Dawson taking pieces of both ball and man in the blink of an eye. Beckford, who, moments earlier, had been slide-tackled fairly inside the area by the same Tottenham defender, picked himself up to crash a nerveless kick into the top corner. "Maybe I could have stayed on my feet but football is all ifs and buts," said ­Dawson, who spoke to the referee Alan Wiley after the game. "It's the first time I've ever been in [to see a referee]. He said I went through the man to get the ball. I still believe I got the ball fairly." Beckford, the subject of interest from Everton, among other clubs, was also a hot topic of discussion, with Grayson saying that an offer this month of £10m would compel Leeds to do business. Is he worth it? Would Beckford's goals be worth more to the club? Bring on Swindon. Man of the match Robert Snodgrass (Leeds United)