CHESTER CITY 2 (Lowe 15, 75), LEEDS UNITED 5 (Beckford 3, 25, 35, Snodgrass 10, Robinson 31)
Chester: Danby, J Vaughan, Wilson, Butler (Kelly 46), Linwood, Mozika, Barry, Mannix, Partridge (Harris 46), Ellison, Lowe. Subs: S Vaughan, Dinning, Taylor, Roberts, McManus.
United: Ankergren, Richardson, Marques, Huntington, Sheehan, Snodgrass, Howson (Douglas 52), Delph, Robinson (Johnson 52), Beckford (Showunmi 52), Becchio. Subs: Michalik, Lucas, Telfer, Elliott.
Referee: G Salisbury.
Booked: Mozika (Chester), Richardson, Johnson (Leeds)
Att: 3644 (1492 Leeds)
See highlights and reaction on LUTV on Wednesday...
United boss Gary McAllister made just two changes from the side which beat Scunthorpe on Saturday. Luciano Becchio came in for his debut in place of Enoch Showunmi and Fabian Delph replaced the injured David Prutton in the middle of the park.
Chester had lost 6-0 at Dagenham the previous weekend and it took Leeds less than three minutes to open the scoring in the Carling Cup tie.
Casper Ankergren launched a long free-kick downfield and Jermaine Beckford, escaping the clutches of former United skipper Paul Butler, converted with ease from close range.
And it was 2-0 in the 10th minute. Andy Robinson fed Delph down the left and Robert Snodgrass was allowed acres of space to pick his spot as he finished with aplomb.
Amazingly, the goal feast continued apace in the 15th minute when the home side pulled one back. Ryan Lowe took the credit after his strike to a deflection off Rui Marques and looped over the head of Ankergren.
In an eventful first half, Jonny Howson was next to try his luck when he sent a dipping shot over the top at the midway point.
The gulf between the two sides was sizeable, though, and United were 3-1 up before the half-hour mark. A mistake by Paul Linwood allowed Beckford to unleash an unstoppable shot that left helpless goalkeeper John Danby with no chance.
The fourth goal came on 31 minutes when Howson and Snodgrass combined to set up Robinson who lashed home his first competitive goal in a Leeds shirt.
The fourth goal equalled the result Eddie Gray's Leeds side pulled off at Chester in the League Cup some 25 years earlier.
Moments later it could have been 5-1 - Butler denying Beckford with a last-ditch challenge - but the Leeds striker did complete his hat-trick on 35 minutes with a superb chip from just inside the touchline. As a contest it was bordering on the ridiculous.
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"As a contest it was bordering on the ridiculous." |
United scored five goals in 35 minutes and were cruising against a side who look set for a long, hard season in League Two.
Chester made two changes at half-time, one of which was to replace ex-United man Butler with Shaun Kelly.
Early in the second half, United made three changes. Hat-trick hero Beckford was replaced by Showunmi, and Jonathan Douglas and Bradley Johnson were handed first run-outs of the season.
Ten minutes into the second period, Chester goalkeeper Danby was called upon to make his next save when he turned on the acrobatics to push a Becchio header over the bar.
Next up, Delph headed wide of the mark after Snodgrass delivered a good cross from the right and that was followed by Danby spreading himself well to deny Showunmi.
The former Bristol City man also lifted a shot over the top on 63 minutes after easing past Kelly to get a clear run on goal.
Chester did muster a couple of half-chances - Kevin Ellison headed a corner wide - but with the outcome decided long before the final 20 minutes, the pace of the game slowed dramatically.
There was still time for the home side to be awarded a penalty, though, when skipper Frazer Richardson was adjudged to have fouled Damien Mozika, and Lowe stepped up to slam the ball home.
That was the last action of any note as United cruised into the second round of the Carling Cup.
