LEEDS 2 (Norris 57, Morison 61) BLACKPOOL 0

Leeds: Kenny, Byram, Peltier, Lees, Warnock, Green, Tonge, Norris, Varney, Morison, McCormack. Subs: Ashdown, Pearce, White, Brown, Diouf, Habibou, Hall.

Blackpool: Gilks, Baptiste, Cathcart, Crainey, Broadfoot, Phillips, Osbourne (Derbyshire 75), Ferguson, Sylvestre, Ince, Taylor-Fletcher (Delfouneso 71) Subs: Eardley, Basham, Halstead, Angel, Wabara.

Referee: C Boyeson

Att: 25,532

United manager Neil Warnock shuffled his pack, making five changes from the side which lost 4-0 at Manchester City at the weekend.

The boss had called upon the Elland Road faithful to help play their part against Blackpool and reduced ticket prices ensured there was a healthy crowd for the visit of the Seasiders.

Leeds were playing a 4-3-3 system, and those three front men made an early nuisance of themselves when Luke Varney lifted a shot over the top. The former Blackpool man also sent a shot wide after some strong defending denied both Paul Green and David Norris.

Steve Morison was next to threaten when he almost walked his way to goal and when his shot was cleared the ball narrowly eluded Ross McCormack who was waiting to pounce.

United started brightly, and Gilks was called upon again to deny Varney after great work by Green and McCormack.

It took Blackpool a full 20 minutes to seriously threaten and when they did Paddy Kenny cut down the angle well to block from Thomas Ince.

But United replied again with more good attacking play and McCormack sent a volley just wide of the upright. The Scot was denied by the body of Gilks moments later after nice work from Varney and a great back-heel by Morison.

United had been the more dominant side, but Blackpool played some good stuff, and Kenny was called upon twice just after the half-hour, the first of which was to pull off a great save to deny Ludovic Sylvestre.

United were soon on the front foot again, though, and Varney headed over the top after a great ball into the box from the lively Morison.

As the game headed towards half-time, Kenny again showed his worth with a great save to claw away a goalbound effort from Matt Phillips.

United started the second half positively, and Varney again went close when he scraped the outside of the post after a terrific ball from Norris.

Norris made no mistake shortly before the hour mark, though, when he fired United ahead with a strike from inside of the box. It was no less than United deserved after creating the better chances over the first 57 minutes.

Blackpool did look to respond immediately, but a low centre into the box was just too far in front of Gary Taylor-Fletcher for the striker to make a connection.

But it was 2-0 on the hour when former United defender Stephen Crainey succeeded in diverting a Norris header into the path of Morison, who drilled home his first goal for the club.

It was just reward for Morison, who had been a threat all night with his movement and workrate.

As the game headed towards its conclusion United were looking comfortable.

Alex Baptiste did head a free-kick over the top, but Leeds were looking solid, and there three minutes of stoppage time passed without any drama as United picked up a valuable victory.