CARLISLE 1 (Keogh 44), UNITED 3 (Becchio 13, 50 Gradel 47)

Carlisle: Collin, Keogh, Harte, Horwood, Aldred (Raven 64), Thirlwell (Bridge-Wilkinson 60), Taiwo, Clayton, Dobie (Bowman 81), Madine, Marshall  Subs: Pidgeley, Rothery, Kavanagh, Kane.

United: Higgs, Bromby, Naylor, Collins, Hughes, Howson, Doyle, Kilkenny, Snodgrass, Becchio (Beckford 88), Gradel (Grella 88). Subs: Ankergren, McSheffrey, Parker, Lowry, Watt.

Referee: M Halsey

Att: 8728

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Leeds United manager Simon Grayson made one change to his starting line-up as his side went in search of a third straight victory, Luciano Becchio replacing Jermaine Beckford in the front-line.

Grayson's men headed for Carlisle knowing a win could be enough to secure second spot in League One after Swindon were held at home by Exeter the previous evening.

And it was Leeds who started brightly, Jonny Howson having the first shot of the night when he sent an effort wide on five minutes.

Moments later, Max Gradel seized upon a defensive error to latch on to a ball over the top from Neil Collins, but Carlisle goalkeeper Adam Collin got in a decisive block.

Leeds did have the ball in the net from the resultant corner, Richard Naylor heading into an empty net after Collin fumbled the set-piece, but referee Mark Halsey blew up for an infringement.

On 10 minutes, Gradel seized upon another error, this time by Tom Aldred, but after being forced wide he laid it back to Robert Snodgrass who lifted the ball wide.

Less than three minutes later it was 1-0 and it was no more than Leeds deserved. Howson won a free-kick just outside of the box after being brought down by Paul Thirlwell. Snodgrass took the set-play and after Collin appeared to catch comfortably he spilled the ball as he hit the ground and Luciano Becchio tapped home from close range.

Ninety seconds later Becchio fired wide again and the opening exchanges had seen Grayson's men at their very best, pegging Carlisle back from the first minute and playing some great stuff in the process.

Next up, Naylor missed out on a great chance and when the ball came back into the box Becchio somehow steered the ball wide when it looked easier to convert.

Carlisle were thwarted in the first attack by Naylor, but Leeds came back immediately and a nervy looking Collin failed to hold another free-kick from Snodgrass, pushing it around the post when six United players were all advancing. The resultant corner saw Collins head wide.

Shortly after the half-hour it took some desperate defending from Evan Horwood after Gradel, who broke quickly, stabbed the ball across the face of goal and Howson was waiting to tap in. Moments later, Ian Harte made an error and Gradel was denied by a tremendous block by Collin.

The home side had barely had a look in until the moments before half-time and with 90 seconds left on the first half clock, Carlisle were level. Harte delivered a free-kick, and United were caught out at the set-play as Richard Keogh found the space to power home a header to level matters.

There was still time for Leeds to carve Carlisle open again, though, and it was Snodgrass who hit the ball over the top.

But it was 2-1 to United within moments of the re-start when Gradel got on the end of a good cross from the right and converted from close range.

And if Leeds had paid the price at half-time for not taking chances, Becchio made it two goals in five minutes at the start of the second period to put daylight between the two teams when he latched on to a ball over the top and delivered a great finish.

On 56 minutes, Becchio had a great chance for a hat-trick, but his header, from an Andrew Hughes cross, was at a good height for Collin to save.

Shane Higgs had to make a save from Adam Clayton before the hour and Micky Doyle made a timely clearance after Higgs punched away a corner.

Leeds were still the better of the two sides as the game headed towards the last 20 minutes, but old foe of 2007 Marc Bridge-Wilkinson came on as a sub for the hosts and fluffed a decent opportunity when he screwed a shot wide.

Higgs also saved from Gary Madine in between more Leeds attacks and as the game entered its final 10 minutes, United were looking to see the game out and record what could prove to be a priceless victory in the quest for automatic promotion.

With two minutes left on the clock, Grayson swapped his strikers with Beckford and Mike Grella being handed the final moments, but it was all cosmetic as United cruised to victory.