THIS was the day that Leeds United’s improbable bid for automatic promotion to the Barclays Premiership all but died, although they are now guaranteed a place in the playoffs. With Sheffield United winning at home to Hull City, all Leeds could manage was a home point against equally unglamorous opposition and, with four games left, they are now nine points behind their Yorkshire rivals.

It could have been even worse. Tony Pulis’s side dominated the second half and were unlucky not to take all three points back to Devon. “Are you proud to wear the shirt?” a section of the Leeds support asked at the end of their team, who failed to produce a shot on target until deep into the second half. It was an unfair question given the team’s performance as they’ve tried to leave their financial troubles behind them.

“We dominated them from start to finish,” Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell said, raising a few eyebrows. “The lads have worked their socks off and I just want to say what a great season they’ve had. When I sit here now and I look at Leeds United third in the table, it’s been a decent season, whatever anybody wants to say about the club.”

Blackwell had referred to last week’s 1-0 defeat by Hull as a “temporary hiccup”, and although he attempted to solve the problem with a firm slap on the back, the symptoms persisted. Liam Miller, the on-loan midfielder from Manchester United, and Eddie Lewis, were dropped to the bench, with Frazer Richardson, dogged with knee ligament trouble since Christmas, and David Healy coming in.

Healy appeared to be the only Leeds player capable of breaking down Plymouth’s resistance. The Northern Ireland international was busy and dangerous throughout the first half, never more so than in the 36th minute, when he received a throw-in from Robbie Blake, turned sharply and struck a curling, right-footed shot from an acute angle that clipped the outside of Romain Larrieu’s left-hand post. Rob Hulse was particularly profligate in front of goal, but full credit to Plymouth, who worked ceaselessly and kept their shape well, their bustling midfielder David Norris being a particular source of inspiration.

As half-time loomed, Leeds were forced into a reshuffle when the flu-stricken Gary Kelly, who had been questionable before the game, was withdrawn, with Richardson switching to right-back and Jermaine Beckford coming in on the right side of midfield.

It was Plymouth who started the second half the brighter, producing the same type of swift passing movements that dented Wolves’s promotion pretensions in a 2-0 win last week. Central to their growing dominance was the tall, long-haired Frenchman Lilian Nalis, who began to boss midfield, ably supported by Tony Capaldi. On 53 minutes, Capaldi fed Leon Clarke, who was unmarked on the right-hand edge of the Leeds six-yard area, but he opted to pass the ball back across the face of goal when he might have tested Neil Sullivan.

Clarke did test Sullivan’s reflexes tested on 64 minutes, but had he kept his shot lower he might have been feted as the matchwinner. Capaldi and Norris played a delightful combination down the Leeds right and when the cross came in Clarke hit the target from 10 yards out, but Sullivan made a smart save diving to his left. Leeds launched a quick break but Jonathan Douglas’s wasteful ball summed up their frustration.

Finally, on 79 minutes, Leeds managed to get a shot on target. Lewis, already influential only five minutes after replacing Healy, responded to a clever run by Beckford, but Larrieu pulled off an excellent save with the Leeds youngster through on goal. That roused the home support and Leeds then had another excellent opportunity when Shaun Derry was fouled on the edge of the area. But Larrieu was again up to the challenge as he dived low to save Blake’s fiercely struck free kick.

Norris might have had a penalty when he was fouled by Miller, but the referee ruled the infringement was outside the box, much to Plymouth’s annoyance. He still had the chance to cap a great performance with a goal, but blasted the free kick over the crossbar.

“When you come to Leeds United you’re lucky if you get a throw-in,” an angry Pulis said. “I thought our lad was two yards inside the box. It was a stone-cold penalty.”

Television replays strongly suggested otherwise, though, but Plymouth didn’t get anything else wrong yesterday.

STAR MAN: David Norris (Plymouth Argyle)

Referee: M Thorpe

Attendance: 20,650 Player ratings: Leeds United: Sullivan 6, Kelly 5 (Beckford 36min, 6), Butler 6, Gregan 6, Crainey 6, Richardson 5, Douglas 5 (Miller 74min, 5), Derry 6, Blake 6, Hulse 5, Healy 7 (Lewis 68min, 7)

Plymouth Argyle: Larrieu 7, Connolly 6, Aljofree 6, Doumbe 6, Hodges 7 (Pulis 90min, 5), Norris 9, Wotton 7, Nalis 8, Capaldi 8, Clarke 6 (Evans 71min, 6), Pericard 7 (Buzsaky 87min, 5)

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