Leeds were forced to share the points at Elland Road today after totally dominating the second half of their match with Aston Villa.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's 79th minute opener appeared to have rekindled the Yorkshire club's quest for a UEFA Cup place.

But current UEFA quarter-finalists Villa were rescued by Savo Milosevic in the 86th minute.

Stan Collymore, who scored twice against Spurs on Boxing Day, was the surprise omission from the Midlanders' side with a flu bout, leaving young Darren Byfield to make his Villa debut.

Bruno Ribeiro was stretchered from the field after a collision with Fernando Nelson forcing George Graham to reshuffle his Leeds pack after just one minute of the match.

Substitute Derek Lilley moved to the right wing and Lee Bowyer to the middle of the park. Leeds were already without four players from the 3-1 defeat at Anfield.

Both Alfie Haaland and Gary Kelly were beginning suspensions and skipper David Hopkin picked up a shoulder injury in the same game. Norwegian Gunnar Halle was dropped back to the bench.

South African Lucas Radebe was back for his first game since the battle of Stamford Bridge on December 13. And youngsters Harry Kewell, Lee Bowyer and Alan Maybury all returned to the first team.

In a disappointing first half it took until the 12th minute for either side to hit the target. But Villa's other Boxing Day double scorer Mark Draper could only find the arms of Nigel Martyn.

Rod Wallace almost scored at the opposite end of the field two minutes later but his shot drifted wide as he began to fall backwards.

In the 17th minute former Leeds man Simon Grayson set up Ian Taylor but the midfielder's shot flew over.

It was only as half-time approached that the action started to liven up as Collymore replacement Byfield found himself clear from Alan Wright's cross. But the youngster headed straight at Martyn.

The tempo of the game increased from the very start of the second half. Just 40 seconds after the break Taylor found himself clear in the Leeds area but his fluffed shot was somehow cleared by a prostrate David Robertson.

But while the home fans held their breath it gave United a second wind and they pressed forward constantly from then on.

Villa's Ugo Ehiogu and Wright had to be at their sharpest to diminish the double threat of Wallace and Hasselbaink.

In the 58th minute Hasselbaink ran through and was denied by Villa keeper Bosnich who stood tall and pushed away the eventual shot.

Seven minutes later Hasselbaink displayed his defensive qualities when he had to be swift to clear the danger from a Steve Staunton free kick with Milosevic lurking ominously.

Wallace was offered space to move in the 68th minute after an excellent interchange between Lilley and Bowyer. However, the striker could only lift his shot over the bar from 20 yards.

Then 11 minutes from time Leeds gained the opening goal that their second half dominance deserved.

Bowyer crossed on the right hand edge of the box, Hasselbaink reacted before the visitors' defence and glanced home a header beyond Bosnich.

But it took just seven minutes for Villa to hit back. Staunton crossed from the left and Yugoslav striker Milosevic rose above both Radebe and Robertson to notch the Midlanders' equaliser.

Teams

Leeds: Martyn, Robertson, Radebe, Wetherall, Wallace, Hasselbaink, Ribeiro (Lilley 5), Bowyer, Kewell, Maybury, Molenaar.

Subs Not Used: Halle, Jackson, McPhail, Beeney.

Goals: Hasselbaink 79.

Aston Villa: Bosnich, Staunton, Ehiogu, Taylor, Draper, Milosevic, Wright, Nelson, Grayson, Scimeca, Byfield (Walker 90).

Subs Not Used: Charles, Hendrie, Collins, Oakes.

Booked: Draper, Staunton, Byfield.

Goals: Milosevic 85.

Att: 36,287

Ref: D J Gallagher (Banbury).