Time stands still for United this time as O’Dea leaves Posh fuming

“It was a game we should have put to bed before that, we got a little bit sloppy,” said Grayson.

“This is a difficult place to come to, but we’ve shown the quality we have all season. It’s not easy here and I’m delighted with how we played and the quality we showed.”

Confusion followed United’s late winner, with both Luciano Becchio and Darren O’Dea claiming it, but referee Keith Stroud confirmed afterwards that O’Dea had been credited with it.

The Republic of Ireland defender’s second strike in as many games – which crept over the line off the underside of the bar – came two minutes after the four minutes of signalled stoppage time had expired.

Grayson backed the decisions Stroud made during the game, including the dismissal of Posh’s Lee Tomlin. “I think it was a red card,” he added. “I’ve seen it, the lad jumped in and if it had been one of my players I would have thought it was a red card. I’m sure he’s not a malicious lad but he left himself open to it. I think it was the right decision.

“I suppose people will say: ‘It’s a minimum of four minutes’ and we conceded a goal against Coventry in exactly the same circumstances. It’s the way football goes.”

Peterborough’s manager Darren Ferguson and chairman Darragh MacAnthony both went on the offensive after O’Dea’s ‘96th-minute’ goal won the thrilling contest.

It came after O’Dea could have followed Tomlin off the pitch for a last-man foul on David Ball, that flashpoint coming seconds after Mark Little had taken advantage of Paul Rachubka’s error to score Peterborough’s second equaliser two minutes from time.

Prior to that, sublime goals from Andy Keogh and Adam Clayton had put Leeds ahead, with Gabriel Zakuani equalising in between times, and Tomlin seeing red for a vicious-looking tackle on Keogh.

Ferguson did not dispute the red card but said: “The fourth official puts up four minutes and and I can hear him say: ‘That’s time up’, but there’s another two minutes added on. Four minutes of injury time and they score in 96 minutes. But don’t forget it’s Leeds United, so it’ll be okay.”

Peterborough United: Jones, Little, Bennett, Zakuani, Alcock (Tunnicliffe 46), Frecklington (Ball 77), McCann, Boyd, Rowe, Tomlin, Sinclair (Taylor 55). Unused substitutes: Lewis,Thompson.

Leeds United: Rachubka, Connolly, Lees, O’Dea, White, Vayrynen (Sam 48), Howson,Clayton, Pugh, McCormack (Nunez 82), Keogh (Becchio 89). Unused substitutes: Cairns, Kisnorbo.

Referee: K Stroud (Hampshire).

Man of the match: Andy Keogh.