DARLINGTON 0, UNITED 1 (Showunmi 54)
Darlington: Knight, Arnison, Bower, Foster (Plummer 76), Miller, Smith, Lumsdon, Thorpe (Main 79), Smith (Windass 59), Chandler, Dowson. Subs: Bennett, Liversedge, Riley, Convery.
United: Higgs, Crowe, Michalik, Huntington, Hughes, Snodgrass (Robinson 90), Howson, Doyle, Johnson, Showunmi (Becchio 73), Grella (KIlkenny 83). Subs: Ankergren, Sheehan, White.
Referee: N Swarbrick.
Booked: Chandler (Darlington)
Att: 4487
Extended highlights plus reaction from Tuesday PM on LUTV....
United manager Simon Grayson was forced into making five changes from the side which opened up the league campaign with a 2-1 win against Exeter just over 48 hours earlier.
The boss had hoped to keep a similar starting line-up, but he was without Patrick Kisnorbo and Rui Marques, on international duty, while striker Jermaine Beckford was sidelined with a knee injury sustained in the weekend win. Ben Parker also suffered a thigh injury, and Luciano Becchio was moved to the bench as a precaution after picking up a knock against Exeter.
Grayson had stated pre-match he was targeting progress, and Bradley Johnson and Enoch Showunmi both had efforts on target inside the opening three minutes of the contest. Robert Snodgrass also tried his luck with a shot from distance, and Paul Huntington, making his first senior appearance in 11 months, headed over the top, following a corner.
Leeds dominated the opening 20 minutes of the game, spending much it camped in the Darlington half. The home side did have one early break, that was ended by a Jason Crowe challenge, and Shane Higgs collected a couple of crosses, but otherwise it was all United.
And Grayson's side were almost rewarded on 28 minutes. David Knight could only parry a strike from Micky Doyle, and the follow-up efforts of both Showunmi and Johnson were scrambled away. The home side did fashion out another chance shortly after the half-hour, following another free-kick, but Lee Thorpe's far post header failed to trouble Higgs.
Thorpe was also involved moments later when he broke down the right, but his pull-back wasn't ideal for David Dowson, and the striker failed to make a clean connection when the chance beckoned.
A rainstorm before the interval contrived to make the surface greasy, but Leeds looked to continue moving the ball and after Snodgrass had an effort blocked, Andrew Hughes sent a shot over the bar on the stroke of half-time.
Leeds also had the first opportunity of the second period when Jonny Howson broke from the midfield, but screwed a shot wide of the mark.
The second half started in much the same vein as the first with Leeds looking to forge an opening and Johnson came within a whisker of breaking the deadlock when he rattled the bar with a powerful effort after intelligent play by Mike Grella. Howson seized upon the follow-up, but his skidding effort was saved by Knight.
But the goal did come on 54 minutes, courtesy of Showunmi. Snodgrass was the provider and Showunmi got up ahead of Knight to give United the lead.
The home side had the ball in the net just six minutes later after Jamie Chandler fed Dowson, but the Darlington striker's finish was ruled out by an offside flag.
Showunmi had another opportunity shortly after the hour-mark, following a Howson pull-back, but his shot failed to trouble Knight and went wide of the mark. Johnson also tried his luck from distance with an effort which flew wide on the 70-minute mark.
With 17 minutes remaining, Grayson introduced Becchio from the substitutes bench in place of goalscorer Showunmi. And Neil Kilkenny got his first taste of the action this season, following injury, when he came on as an 83rd minute replacement for Grella.
The enertainment levels had never really threatened to rise during the second period, but as the game edged towards its conclusion Howson fired wide from distance and, in reply, Dowson tested Higgs with an angled drive.
The home side had another chance in the second minute of stoppage time when Mark Bower got up well at the far post to meet a corner, but his header was off target, but it proved to be the last real opportunity of the game as Leeds eased into the second round of the Carling Cup.
