LEEDS United's failure to last the course is leaving them in deep trouble.

One again precious Premiership points slipped through their fingers at the death to prolong the agony of the Elland Road faithful.

Terry Venables' side looked set to complete back-to-back victories when Harry Kewell rifled them ahead after 73 minutes, but their habit of throwing away late goals struck again and three points which would have lifted them

up the table disappeared in to the murky air.

Just a minute of normal time remained when Frenchman Fabrice Fernandes, who

had caused Leeds problems all afternoon, curled in a left-foot free-kick which somehow went through a pack of players, took one bounce, and skidded in to the right-hand corner of Paul Robinson's net.

It was a fluke and a gut-wrenching finale for Leeds, who were looking to build on Monday night's 3-0 win at Bolton.

But the nature of the goal cannot disguise that the Saints were worth their point. Had they taken their chances then the match would have been settled

by half-time.

Venables opted to use Alan Smith as a replacement for the suspended Eirik Bakke in midfield, but while Smith didn't do badly, United were distinctly second best in that area, particularly in the creativity stakes.

Robinson had to make several smart saves, Brett Ormerod hit the bar and Chris Marsden had a goal disallowed for a dubious offside as Gordon Strachan's compact, well organised side dominated possession.

It was only when Mark Viduka, returning from injury, came on as a substitute for Robbie Fowler, that United were able to build an attacking platform.

With Smith playing in a more advanced position, Leeds by-passed the midfield by playing longer passes up to the front and suddenly they looked a different team with a revitalised Kewell leading the charge Finnish goalkeeper Antti Niemi denied the talented Australian twice and

Kewell then saw another effort deflect off a defender and on to the post.

Leeds's frustration grew when Kewell's thumping angled drive was tipped away for a corner by Niemi. Ian Harte's flag-kick was headed against a post by

Jonathan Woodgate, but the ball came out to Kewell who drilled a low shot in to the net from inside the box.

The relief around Elland Road was enormous, but yet again United were unable to end their miserable home run as Fernandes' freak effort made it six Premiership games on home soil without a win.

After being thrashed by Arsenal (4-1) and unluckily beaten by Liverpool (0-1), United lost 4-2 to Bolton, three of the Trotters' goals coming in the last ten minutes.

Then wonderkid Wayne Rooney's 81st minute goal gave

Everton a 1-0 win before Charlton came from behind with two late goals to win 2-1 at the start of this month.

Amid this catalogue of home disasters two injury-time goals saw Leeds crash out of the Worthington Cup at Sheffield United.

Confidence and concentration is the key and now United's Boxing Day match at fellow strugglers Sunderland, managed by ex-Leeds boss Howard Wilkinson, is

one they simply can't afford to lose.

Updated: 11:54 Monday, December 23, 2002