Brian McDermott believes Leeds United can use the final half hour of their midweek home defeat to Reading as inspiration for Saturday’s trip to high-flying Burnley.

United were 4-0 down inside an hour on Tuesday night but two goals in the space of 60 seconds gave hope of a comeback and lifted the atmosphere inside the stadium.

The hosts dominated the final stages of the game but were unable to add to goals from Matt Smith and Rudi Austin to reduce the arrears further as it finished 4-2.

McDermott said: “I’m buoyed by the last half an hour at Elland Road and by the crowd and the atmosphere.

“I was buoyed by what came of that and those were the feelings I left the ground with.

“We’re going into this game on Saturday on the back of two defeats but we’re looking forward to the challenge. We’ve got to go there and try and win the game.

“If we can do what we did in the last half an hour against reading, it gives us a chance. We are having a tough time but we all believe in each other.

“When you have a tough time, it’s nice to get that support from your supporters and they were fantastic in that final half hour.

“That’s what galvanised me and is what I’m thinking of. I think that last half an hour lifted the group.

“We’ve had to take that criticism and I don’t think it’s unfair because if you don’t win games, you get criticised.

“Our supporters pay money and I understand. We want to win games.”