DISMAYED Leeds United manager Simon Grayson called on his players to tighten up at the back following their 3-2 loss at Millwall enabling the hosts to put the squeeze on the Championship play-off pack.

The result means United’s hopes of an automatic promotion berth are fading, and they could yet end up facing Millwall in the play-offs.

But Grayson insisted there was plenty of games before his team’s spot in the top six was secured.

Grayson said: “You can’t give good teams two-goal starts. We knew it was going to be a tough game because they’ve had some good results recently.

“We didn’t really get going in the first-half.

“I said to the players at half-time that we need to increase the tempo and get in and amongst them in the second half.

“We got a great opportunity to get back in the game with the goal and for the next 20 minutes we were on top and had them on the back foot.

“We had them on the back foot in the second-half and we just needed to force the issue but you have to accept defeat at times.”

Millwall’s marksmen were James Henry, Liam Trotter and Steve Morison, while top scorer Luciano Becchio and central defender Andy O’Brien replied.