Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa said the 3-2 defeat at Ipswich was difficult to take but believes he will be able to build his team up over the coming days for their crucial play-off games against Derby.
Relegated Town secured just their fifth win of the season with goals from Flynn Downes on the half-hour, Andre Dozzell early in the second half and Collin Quaner at the death.
Leeds twice levelled through Mateusz Klich and Stuart Dallas, while Kemar Roofe blazed a penalty over the crossbar which would have made it 3-2 to the Whites.
Bielsa said: “If you put aside the mistakes we made from this game, the performance from the team was good enough.
“At the end of the game you could not think that this opponent (Ipswich) could score three goals against us and it was impossible that we could not score three or four goals.
“We conceded three goals and this is something that is honestly impossible to explain and we also only scored two goals, which is also difficult to justify.”
Meanwhile, Ipswich boss Paul Lambert was thrilled with his side’s performance, saying it was a “fantastic win”.
Downes put the home side in front after the ball fell to him in the six-yard box, but just before half-time Klich equalised for Leeds.
Ipswich regained the lead with a superb effort from Dozzell, only for Dallas to level.
And after Ipswich captain Luke Chambers had been sent off for a foul on Roofe in the penalty area – and the Whites striker had missed his spot-kick – Town won the game in bizarre fashion.
A mix-up between Luke Ayling and goalkeeper Kiko Casilla allowed Quaner to pounce and fire the ball into an empty net.
Lambert said: “It was a brilliant win, a fantastic win, but I think that’s what we have deserved with all the draws we’ve had and if we’d won another six, I don’t think anyone would have begrudged it because we played that well.
“It’s only the last three games or so that the wind was taken out of our sails. I can’t ask for anything more.
“Leeds United are a very good side and not many teams have beaten them. We got the breaks at the right moments.
“We deserved them but we played some good, energetic football and I think we matched them for a lot of the game and we always looked dangerous.”
Lambert praised Dozzell and Downes and said he was looking forward to working with them in League One.
“They played with real quickness and energy,” he said. “They have a lot to learn but they are big talents and I’m looking forward to working with them.”
