Leeds United 1, Burnley 0

Match-winner Ross McCormack emerged from a season of frustration to earn a standing ovation from Leeds fans yesterday but Nottingham Forest’s thumping 5-1 victory over Scunthorpe effectively ended the npower Championship play-off hopes of Simon Grayson’s men.

With one round of matches left, sixth-placed Forest hold a three-point advantage over Leeds, with a superior goal difference of plus six, while defeats for Millwall and United’s opponents Burnley left the Lions and the Clarets facing Championship football again next season.

Leeds will try to turn that big goal difference around in their final game of the normal season at QPR on Saturday, but it looks a forlorn hope as Forest go to Crystal Palace firmly in the driving seat.

Kicking off early against Burnley in their final home game, United landed their first win in six with a much-improved performance but they squandered numerous opportunities to boost their goal difference as indifferent finishing and the stubborn goalkeeping of Brian Jensen combined to restrict them to McCormack’s first-half decider. Leeds manager Simon Grayson was happy with the outcome. He said: “The players went out there with something to prove and were looking to send the fans home in a positive manner. The performance was really encouraging.

“Ross McCormack has had to be patient. When I bought him in the summer, we looked like we were going to play 4-4-2 and he was going to be one of the strikers, but through injuries and the way we’ve played he has not had as many games as he would have hoped. He did well and deserved his goal.”

Burnley boss Eddie Howe was disappointed with the Clarets’ performance and the result, though he claimed his side should have been awarded “a nailed- on penalty” in the first half.

“I feel it would have been given at the other end,” he complained.

“Now we have to look to the future. There is a lot more to come from this team but I am quite prepared to tweak things and bring in some fresh blood to make us a better team. It is going to be a busy summer.”

Grayson made three changes, George McCartney, Neil Kilkenny and McCormack coming in for Paul Connolly, Jake Livermore and Robert Snodgrass, who were among the substitutes.

It was McCormack’s first start since January 4 and only his fifth since leaving Cardiff. Burnley, meanwhile, were unchanged.

It needed a splendid 18th-minute save from Kasper Schmeichel to prevent skipper Michael Duff from shooting Burnley ahead at the foot of a post after a free-kick was headed into the danger zone by Chris Iwelumo, who justifiably claimed he should have had a penalty when leaned on by Andy O’Brien.

McCormack’s chipped pass set up a chance for Billy Paynter, whose smart header was heading for the bottom corner until Jensen swooped to turn it round a post. However, United did not have long to wait for the opening goal, which arrived in the 33rd minute.

Bradley Johnson’s long pass was latched on to by McCormack, who was played onside by Andre Bikey before shooting into the bottom left corner from just inside the penalty box to leave the delighted striker celebrating his first goal for the club.

When McCormack next threatened to break clear he was cynically brought down by Duff, whose name went into the book. Paynter wasted two opportunities early in the second half, heading McCormack’s cross weakly at Jensen and then taking Kilkenny’s pass round the keeper but being beaten by the narrow angle.

Jay Rodriguez was booked for fouling Kilkenny and tempers were lost in the 57th minute when Chris McCann caught Max Gradel with a high tackle and a melee ensued, referee Phil Crossley booking McCann and Leeds pair Kilkenny and Eric Lichaj.

From McCormack’s resultant free-kick, O’Brien’s header was blocked on the line by Jensen.

Then the inspired McCormack had a deflected shot palmed on to a post by Jensen, whose saves repeatedly frustrated the home fans. Jack Cork’s 25-yard shot sped past the angle of post and bar in a Burnley counter-attack before yellow cards arrived for Johnson and Bikey.

McCormack should have sealed the points in the 83rd minute but, put through by Gradel, he shot too early and well wide – a rare error by the striker.

Naylor took the list of bookings to eight - four for each side - and Ross Wallace was denied an equaliser by Schmeichel’s finger-tip save.

Five agonising minutes were added but Leeds deserved their sixth win over Burnley in the last seven meetings - and a rare clean sheet.

The fans observed the club’s request to stay off the pitch at the end but later in the afternoon Forest’s big win dampened spirits.