Marvin Sordell and Michael Kightly scored late goals for Burton to edge Nigel Clough's side to within a point of Sky Bet Championship safety as Leeds United's promotion hopes suffered a blow at the Pirelli Stadium.

Goals on 75 and 77 minutes from the two January signings had Albion seemingly in control of their own destiny going into the last 10 minutes until skipper Kyle Bartley volleyed home Chris Wood's angled header at the back post on 80 minutes.

Sordell turned sharply on to Kightly's pass to place a superb shot past the diving Rob Green. It was Sordell's assist two minutes later that Kightly finished, angling a shot across Green and into the back of the net.

Both sides were desperate for three points for vastly differing reasons. Leeds knew that three wins would see them in the play-offs but their run of one win in six games is now seriously threatening to derail their campaign.

Meanwhile, Albion wanted the win to push them closer to securing a second season of Championship football and victory secured back-to-back league wins for the first time this season.

Pablo Hernandez fired wide early on as Leeds looked to settle any nerves and they thought they had the lead when Chris Wood headed home from close range on 10 minutes although referee Darren Bond had long since blown his whistle for a foul on keeper Stephen Bywater, who was making his full league debut for the Brewers in place of injured regular Jon McLaughlin.

Burton warmed to their task and both Sordell and John Mousinho fired wide looking to breach a defence that had not kept a clean sheet on the road since October.

The powerful presence of Wood and Bartley worked a chance for Luke Ayling at the back post but at full stretch he headed into the side netting.

Image: Luke Ayling came close to equalising for the visitors

Leeds raised their game as half-time approached with a set piece looking the most likely route to breaking the deadlock. Albion only half cleared a corner kick with Kalvin Phillips drilling over the bar.

Hernandez was guilty of failing to test Bywater with a deft header from Charlie Taylor's cross early in the second half and Albion had half shouts for a penalty when Danish midfielder Lasse Vigen Christensen appeared to have his legs taken away from him as he shaped to shoot.

Leeds threatened again as Wood made his presence felt to win a corner but it was defender Pontus Jansson who put an unchallenged header wide of the post.

It proved a costly miss as Albion grabbed the two late goals from Sordell and Kightly. Bartley's effort gave Leeds a glimmer of hope but despite a late scramble in the box, it was to no avail.

Burton manager Nigel Clough

"To win the game with all the nervous tension around the place, especially in the last 10 minutes, speaks volumes for the character of the players.

"I am very pleased with our two goals. It's a lovely strike from Marvin Sordell. Once he gets turned he hits it with such power and accuracy it's difficult for the goalkeeper.

"Then you get the second so quickly and it would have knocked the stuffing out of most teams but Leeds came straight back at us."

Leeds head coach Garry Monk

"We are disappointed, I think it is an extremely unfair result on my players to be honest.

"Second half there was only one team on the front foot. We started it extremely well and we were pushing and looking the most dangerous team.

"The goal came right against the run of play and it was a mistake from ourselves and they got the goal from it. From there we lost our composure a bit. I think it was the shock of them scoring when we were on the front foot.

"They got a second in that short period and we had to fight right to the end. We perhaps didn't have the right quality in certain situations today but we didn't deserve to lose that game."