Paul Heckingbottom has told his Leeds United players to keep their heads held high despite conceding in injury time to draw 2-2 at Pride Park against Derby County.

The Whites had been looking for a victory to put their playoff push in the Championship back on track and did take the lead against Gary Rowett's men through Pierre-Michel Lasogga in the 34th minute.




But the lead would not last and Leeds were pegged back on the stroke of half time when Andreas Weimann levelled.

Leeds thought they had done enough to win the game though after substitute Ezgjan Alioski struck, finishing a counter attack, and the clock ticked down into injury time.
 


However, when Leeds failed to clear a corner deep into stoppage time, Kasey Palmer fired home and it ended 2-2.

relatedNewsStory

Heckingbottom makes no bones about the fact that Leeds are disappointed about leaving Pride Park with less than the three points, but he wants his side to keep their heads held high after a good performance.

"They've got to come out of that dressing room with their heads held high", he told his post-match press conference.

"After the second goal we restricted them to shots from distance.

"I was thinking about what to show them tomorrow about what's won them the game, so to get caught like that is disappointing.

"It's sickening. But we've got to be ready for Saturday."

And Heckingbottom thinks Leeds are guilty of giving away cheap goals, which is undoing their good work at the other end of the pitch.

"At the moment we're working really hard for our goals, scoring good goals, and giving soft goals away.

"I want us higher up the pitch. We are comfortable with the ball, but we make it a little bit hard for ourselves in terms of turning back with the first pass", he added.