PETERBOROUGH 1 (Bostwick 73), UNITED 2 (Becchio 7, 50)
Peterborough: Olejnik, Alcock (Little 62), Brisley, Zakuani, Bostwick, Tomlin, Boyd, McCann, Sinclair (Taylor 64), Frecklington (Swanson 62), Ntlhe. Subs: Day, Newell, Knight-Percival, Clarke-Harris.
Leeds: Kenny, Peltier. Lees, Pearce, Drury, Diouf (Byram 76), Austin, Norris, Varney, McCormack (Poleon 79), Becchio (Gray 87). Subs: Ashdown, Kisnorbo, White, Brown.
Referee: S Mathieson
Booked: Sinclair, Little, Swanson (Peterboro)
Att: 10.482 (3,800 Leeds approx)
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United manager Neil Warnock handed full debuts to both Adam Drury and El-Hadji Diouf with Aidy White and Sam Byram dropping down to the bench.
And United started the game well, picking holes in Peterborough's midfield, and showing good passing and movement. Home goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik had to be alert inside five minutes to claw away a Ross McCormack free-kick after Luciano Becchio was hauled back by Shaun Brisley.
And Leeds were in front just moments later. McCormack looked to pick out Luke Varney with a cross from the left, the home side couldn't clear, and Becchio was able to slot the ball home to make it 1-0.
The home side didn't have a sniff until the 13th minute when a corner was floated over and Paddy Kenny reacted well to clear the danger. United were next to whip in a corner and there may have been claims for a handball against Grant McCann when the midfielder deflected the ball away.
A free-kick at the other end was the next piece of action, Brisley heading wide after finding good space.
But as the game headed towards the half-hour, United were looking the stronger, and after a Diouf effort almost allowed Peterborough an opening, Emile Sinclair responded to Leeds averting the danger by chopping down Lee Peltier to earn himself a yellow.
And Peltier was soon involved again when he sent in a cross from the right which McCormack headed just wide. In the lead up to half-time the hosts back pairing made a hash of a ball forward and when Leeds looked to capitalise, the end result was a free-kick from McCormack which was blocked.
United started the second half on the front foot as well and Peterborough had some early defending to do before Olejnik denied David Norris. But it was United keeper Kenny was next to be called upon when he beat away a shot from Lee Tomlin.
But was 2-0 to Leeds on 50 minutes when Becchio again got on the end of another good move to plant a header firmly beyond the reach of Olejnik.
Peterborough responded with a free-kick which was blocked, but they were on the back foot again as Leeds looked to carve them open with another good end to end move.
The home side made a double change on the hour, and both subs involved in the build-up to a move that saw Kenny tip a Tomlin header over the bar.
United were edging towards the win, though, and McCormack appeared to have a good penalty shout waved away when he was flattened in the box.
But Peterborough pulled a goal back 17 minutes from time when United failed to clear the ball out of defence and Michael Bostwick was able to volley home from just inside the area.
Warnock made two changes for United with youngsters Sam Byram and Dominic Poleon both stepping on for the final 10 minutes or so.
The home side looked to push for a leveller and had a couple of wayward attempts while Byram also sent a shot fizzing wide as Leeds looked to bury the game.
With three minutes left Warnock made his final change, re-introducing Andy Gray to competitive action in a Leeds shirt after a 16-year absence.
Byram was involved at both ends during the final moments, blocking a free-kick with his head then winning a corner after looking to round the home goalkeeper.
