Leeds United will meet Preston on Friday night in the first leg of the play-off semi-final and the teams will meet again at Deepdale on Monday night after losing 2-0 yesterday.

In the other semi-final Crystal Palace entertain Watford on Saturday and visit Vicarage Road on Tuesday night.

For his team's final league game of the season, at Preston, Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell made eight changes from the side which defeated Crewe.

Brian Stock's 37th-minute free-kick gave Preston a 37th-minute lead and former Leeds loanee Brett Ormerod added a late second goal, but Blackwell was not too concerned.

He said: "We kept our powder dry. I didn't risk picking up injuries and I wanted to take a look at players who hadn't played for a while.

"The way the play-off pairings have worked out, it will be a north versus south final. Now we can concentrate fully on our preparations for the two semi-final matches against Preston and it's good that we won't have far to travel for the away leg on Monday."

Blackwell had his players back in training today and they will have a day off tomorrow before intensifying the build-up to Friday's game which promises to be Elland Road's highlight of the season.

United's shadow squad created very few chances, Simon Walton missing the best opportunity, but it was hard to take the match seriously with both sides already assured of a place in the play-offs.

The atmosphere was particularly low key - in sharp contrast to the anticipated excitement of Friday night's re-match.

If Leeds need an omen, records show that more teams finishing fifth gain promotion than any other position, though Blackwell won't take much notice of that. To him, history will mean nothing as he prepares his team for the season's crescendo.

Leeds match facts

Coca-Cola Championship

Preston 2, Leeds United 0

(at Deepdale)

Preston: Nash, Alexander, Davis (Wilson 45), Mawene, Hill, Whaley, McKenna (Sedgwick 67), Jarrett, Stock (Nugent 84), Dichio, Ormerod.

Subs Not Used: Agyemang, Lewis Neal. Cautions: Wilson, Alexander, Whaley. Goals: Stock 38, Ormerod 77.

Leeds United: Sullivan, Richardson, Gregan, Kilgallon, Pugh, Walton, Blake (Griffiths 66), Stone, Douglas, Healy, Moore (Beckford 51).

Subs Not Used: Bennett, Einarsson, Harding. Caution: Walton.

Referee: Uriah Rennie (South Yorks).

Attendance: 19,350.

Updated: 09:42 Monday, May 01, 2006