CAPTAIN Gary McAllister kept alive Leeds' double Wembley dream to cause FA Cup heartbreak to brave Port Vale in last night's fifth-round replay.

Howard Wilkinson's men, who claimed a League Cup final date against Aston Villa on Sunday, looked to be going the way of holders Everton when Tony Naylor put John Rudge's men in front before the break.

But McAllister, followed every step of the way by Vale skipper Andy Porter before the interval, began to find room after Wilkinson's interval decision to send on £4.5 million Swede Tomas Brolin.

Just after the hour, McAllister - an inspirational figure if ever there was one - rose in immaculate style to nod home a Brolin cross. And two minutes from time it was McAllister's dead-ball brilliance that earned Leeds their first quarter-final appearance at home to Liverpool or Charlton since 1987.

Carlton Palmer was adjudged by referee Paul Durkin to have been hauled back by Porter 25 yards out. Vale protested, to no effect, and McAllister waited and waited until he was ready before stepping up to curl home a magnificent ninth goal of the season.

It was so tough on Vale, who had hoped to be celebrating their first last-eight appearance since 1954. But McAllister was in no mood to be denied another memorable moment.

Leeds, wearing their new yellow change kit for the first time, had been forced to rejig defensively with Lucas Radebe and Nigel Worthington coming in at full-backs for Sunday casualties Gary Kelly and Tony Dorigo.

It gave Vale even more reasons to look to the pace of wingers Steve Guppy and Jon McCarthy and McCarthy was involved in the fifth-minute move that ended with Naylor volleying over when well placed.

Phil Masinga, once more alongside Tony Yeboah, made his threat clear with two early runs. But with Porter again man-marking McAllister tightly, Vale's biggest problem was the uncertainty of goalkeeper Paul Musselwhite.

Guppy certainly made Radebe - on his first start of the season - look like a centre-half playing out of position as he created space with ease, failing to match his approach work with his delivery.

Naylor had nearly got onto Porter's clever angled ball and Vale had spot-kick claims rejected when Worthington eased McCarthy aside before they went ahead eight minutes before the break.

It was McCarthy on the right who did the damage, slipping the ball into Naylor's path, and the striker held off David Wetherall before poking his 11th goal of the season between John Lukic's legs.

Leeds, perhaps suffering from their League Cup exploits, could have no complaints with Musselwhite not having been forced into a save before the interval.

So it was no surprise when Brolin replaced Masiga at the break, although Naylor was twice just kept out after being fed by McCarthy at the start of the second period.

The substitution did work though, Leeds at last starting to put some football together and McAllister finding some of the space denied him earlier.

Vale's cause was badly hindered when Naylor pulled a hamstring in the 55th minute, Lee Mills coming on, and the tiny striker's pace was missed, although the substitute was not far away with a right-footer.

But it was the Leeds replacement who was leading goal celebrations in the 64th minute working space on the left before crossing for McAllister - free of Porter's shackles - to send a looping header into the corner.

Vale were hit but refused to buckle, Mills and then Allen Tankard testing Lukic. But the tide had turned. Brolin, after linking with Yeboah and bursting between the Vale centre-halves, should have put Leeds in front, instead allowing Musselwhite to save with his legs.

And Vale Park then rose in vain when Wetherall might have been adjudged to have handled a Guppy cross. Guppy then side-footed over from Ray Walker's precision cross, but it was a miss that proved costly as McAllister showed just why Vale had feared him.