The ball bounced down and Tyrese Campbell headed the ball on to the right post but the ball hit the back of Meslier to deflect it over the line.
They are now five points in front of Sheffield United, who had bossed most of the game until the final 25 minutes but failed to add to an unfortunate 14th-minute Illan Meslier own goal.
That is now 19 games since Leeds lost a Yorkshire derby - to United’s bitter rivals Sheffield Wednesday at Elland Road in January 2020.
Campbell was sent clear past Joe Rodon but Meslier managed to get to the ball first and keep it in the area as he slide in.
Manor Solomon took down a perfect long pass from Struijk on the left side of the box and with Harry Clarke and Burrows at sixes and seven he shot straight at the keeper.
