UNITED 2 (Robinson 24, Kandol 28), DARLINGTON 1 (Convery 45)

United: Ankergren, Bromby, Michalik, Naylor, Hughes (Johnson 80), Robinson, Kilkenny, Prutton, White, Grella (Somma 70), Kandol (Showunmi 46). Subs: R Jones, Beckford.

Darlington: Liversedge, Arnison, Foster, Plummer (Convery 31), Miller, Gary Smith, Devitt (Main 88), Groves (Bennett 54), Jeff Smith, Barnes, Gall. Subs: Knight, Baines.

Referee: A Taylor

Sent-off: Liversedge

Att: 8429

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United manager Simon Grayson made a number of changes to his side for the visit of the league's bottom club Darlington in the second round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

Andy Robinson, David Prutton, Adie White, Mike Grella, and Tresor Kandol were all named in the starting line-up as the manager dug deep into his squad, following a number of international call-ups and injuries. Teenage goalkeeper Ryan Jones was also named on the subs bench.

Robinson started on the right and he created the first chance inside the opening three minutes when Grella headed over the top.

Saturday's Elland Road clash against Charlton in the league had been ruined by a swirling wind inside the stadium - the test for this game was the torrential rain that had poured for the biggest part of the afternoon and continued to fall heavily.

Darlington have just two league points to their name and arrived with nothing to lose. With new manager, and former Leeds assistant boss, Steve Staunton watching from the stands they carved out an opening inside the opening 10 minutes when Jamie Devitt sent a shot wide.

But Leeds responded immediately, first Kandol had a header saved, then the striker had another attempt deflected wide. Kandol was also denied by a good challenge from Steve Foster after Grella played an intelligent ball in for his strike partner.

And on 15 minutes, Nick Liversedge pulled off an acrobatic save to push a Kandol header onto the bar, following good work by Lubo Michalik and Andrew Hughes.

Grella was next to test Liversedge, and the early exchanges had proved to be pretty much one-way traffic with Leeds penning Darlington back. When the Quakers did escape their own half, Leeds returned pretty quickly, courtesy of an interception from White which ended with a shot fizzing wide.

Robinson also fired wide on 19 minutes after good work by Prutton while Michalik tried his luck from a full 40 yards out with a shot which just went wide.

United finally opened the scoring on 24 minutes with a goal that gave a few clues about why Darlington find themselves at the foot of the table. Robinson hit a well-struck free-kick, but with the wall seemingly not protecting the keeper, a small deflection proved enough to leave Liversedge stranded as United made it 1-0.

The second goal came within four minutes, courtesy of Kandol. Neil Kilkenny was the provider with a great ball through the middle and Kandol smashed it past Liversedge to double the advantage.

Shortly after, Kandol curled a shot over the bar after a good nod on by Grella.

Darlington did fashion out an opening shortly after the half-hour, following a quick break, but the end product was an effort wide of the mark from Devitt.

With two goals in the bag and United looking very comfortable indeed, Darlington's Gary Smith fired wide following another quick break. But, as the game edged towards half-time, more good build-up play from Leeds resulted in Kandol firing wide.

But was Darlington who had the last word on the stroke of half-time. Devitt again tried his luck with a shot-cum-cross from the edge of the box, and Mark Convery was on hand to stab the ball home from close range to reduce the arrears.

Grayson made a change at half-time, introducing Enoch Showunmi in place of first-half scorer Kandol.

As it was, United started the second half in the same manner as the first and after Grella was denied for an infringement, Kilkenny almost got on the end of a teasing cross from Showunmi. Grella was also crowded out after a good ball from Robinson released him with a run at the visiting defence.

On 55 minutes, White fed Grella, but the American saw his shot deflected to safety and Naylor's header from the resultant corner was scrambled for another corner. White also forced Liversedge into making a good low save.

United were dominant, and Naylor came within a whisker of adding a third when he turned a shot narrowly wide following another Robinson corner.

At 2-1, though, the visitors still had something to cling on to on their rare forays forward, and on 62 minutes Convery really should have levelled matters when he arrived unmarked at the far post to meet a cross, but failed to control the ball with the goal at his mercy.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Grayson made his second change, handing a debut to striker Somma in place of Grella, who picked up a slight knock.

There was little in the way of drama as the game headed towards its final stages, but Darlington were still hanging in there at 2-1, and Kevin Gall served a reminder that they hadn't given up hope of salvaging a leveller when he shot wide.

At the other end, Showunmi was denied by Liversedge following a surging run by Kilkenny, and the striker narrowly failed to connect with a good cross from Andrew Hughes.

That proved Hughes's last taste of the action with Grayson introducing Bradley Johnson for the final 10 minutes of the contest.

United's injury luck of late was summed up on 84 minutes, though, when Somma pulled up while running with what looked like a hamstring injury, and Grayson's men were reduced to 10 for the final moments.

United were content to sit on the advantage and, while Darlington toiled in the hope of sending the game to penalties, the game quietly ebbed towards its conclusion. Curtis Main did shoot wide and Naylor made possibly the final of a number of important blocks of the night.

Then, in the final minute of stoppage time, Darlington goalkeeper Liversedge was handed a straight red card when he blocked Showunmi in full flow chasing down on goal. Robinson took the free-kick on the edge of the box, lifting it narrowly over the bar, and within 20 seconds the whistle sounded as United progressed through to next month's Area Quarter-Finals.