WALSALL 1 (Parkin pen 80), UNITED 2 (Johnson 83, Beckford 87)
Walsall: Ince, Hughes, Smith, Jones (Nicholls 86), Bradley, Westlake, Till, Vincent, Richards (Taundry 30), Parkin, Deeney. Subs: Weston, Sansara, Roberts, O'Keefe, Gilmartin.
United: Higgs, Crowe, Kisnorbo, Marques, Hughes (Robinson 72), Snodgrass (Prutton 90), Howson, Doyle (Kilkenny 72), Johnson, Beckford, Becchio. Subs: Ankergren, Grella, Michalik, Showunmi.
Referee: A Taylor
Booked: Snodgrass (United)
Att: 8483 (3679 Leeds)
Simon Grayson named an unchanged side for the the visit to Walsall as United looked to make it three successive league victories to open the campaign.
United were once again backed by a healthy and vocal following with the travelling support filling both one end and a side stand at the Banks's Stadium.
The call from the United camp was to come out of the blocks quickly, following a slow start at Wycombe the previous weekend, and both Jermaine Beckford and Robert Snodgrass won early corners as Leeds started brightly. Andrew Hughes also tried his luck with a shot from distance.
Jonny Howson also forced Walsall goalkeeper Clayton Ince into making an early fumble, from a low, skidding shot, but the Saddlers stopper recovered to grasp the ball at the second attempt. The goalkeeper also wobbled when Patrick Kisnorbo tried a lob from distance on 15 minutes.
Moments later, Ince did pull off a fine save, though, palming a Beckford header onto the post, following a Bradley Johnson cross.
Leeds had certainly started brighter, although on the evidence of the opening 30 minutes Walsall were providing the stiffest test yet in terms of organisation and physical presence. Having said that, the hosts lost Matt Richards through injury during the first half and Mark Bradley also needed treatment after taking a knock in the face.
Moments before half-time, Beckford thought he was well-placed to fire United into the lead after latching on to a ball over the top, but he was denied by an offside flag. The flag was raised again in first half stoppage time when Beckford headed a Hughes cross wide of the mark.
Beckford also had an early header saved in the second half - Jason Crowe the provider - as Leeds started the second period on the front foot. Walsall also tested United's resolve quickly with two Steve Jones crosses flying in to the danger zone.
At the other end, Ince saved from Beckford who worked himself an opening on the edge of the box before letting fly. Johnson also lifted a shot over the top from similar range on 53 minutes.
And Beckford had another half-chance after Crowe pumped the ball forward, but the striker was unable to shape as he would have liked and his effort was high over the top.
The Leeds striker tested Ince again on 66 minutes after a great ball forward from Snodgrass and, with the game opening up, Beckford glanced a Johnson cross the wrong side of the upright.
With 18 minutes remaining, Grayson made a double substitution as he looked to force a result. Neil Kilkenny replaced Micky Doyle in the centre of the park and Andy Robinson came on for Hughes with Johnson reverting to the left-back role.
But it was Walsall who appeared to have a great chance on 75 minutes when a cross from deep eluded Shane Higgs and Mark Hughes failed to find the target with a free header.
Leeds responded quickly and Luciano Becchio was denied by a good defensive block before Beckford showed superb control to bring the ball down, but was unable to apply the finishing touch.
Disaster struck with 10 minutes left, though, when Rui Marques was adjudged to have brought down Jones in the area and Sam Parkin stepped up to convert from the penalty spot.
Both the decision and the goal were harsh on Leeds, but Grayson's men responded by pouring forward in numbers, and the scores were level within three minutes.
Robinson sent over a corner from the left and Johnson arrived at the far post to score with a superb powerful diving header which flew home.
Moments later, it was 2-1. Marques launched the ball forward from the back and Beckford again showed outstanding execution to hammer the ball beyond Ince to put United in front. It was a superb finish and the striker and his team-mates celebrated with a sizeable number of the near 4,000 travelling fans.
Snodgrass almost bagged a third in the final minute, but he fired into the side-netting, and when the Scot crossed moments later, following a quick break, Darryl Westlake headed clear when Beckford was waiting to pounce again.
