UNITED 0, BLACKPOOL 5 (Lua Lua 12, 65, Shelvey 26 pen, 30, 79)

United: Rachubka (Cairns 46), Connolly, Lees, Kisnorbo, White, Snodgrass, Howson, Clayton (Vayrynen 71), Pugh, McCormack, Keogh (Becchio 46). Subs: O'Brien, Sam.

Blackpool: Gilks, Baptiste, Cathcart, Crainey, Evatt, Southern (Angel 72), Ferguson, Shelvey, McManaman (Ince 76), Lua Lua (Bogdanovic 76), Sylvestre. Subs: Eardley, Phillips.

Referee: R East

Booked: Connolly (Leeds), Evatt (Blackpool)

United manager Simon Grayson recalled Paddy Kisnorbo back to his starting line-up for the first time since September with the Aussie international replacing Darren O'Dea, who is still suffering from the effects of a head injury.

It was the first time Grayson had come up against his former club since parting company with The Seasiders three years ago to subsequently take over at Leeds, and it wasn't the most exciting of openings.

There was little to excite the crowd during the early exchanges it wasn't until 10 minutes when Paddy Kisnorbo was twice denied by the bodies of Blackpool defenders after a Robert Snodgrass cross that there was an opening.

That proved the cue for Blackpool to move forward, though, and Lomano Lua Lua fired the visitors ahead. Paul Rachubka parried a Jonjo Shelvey shot and Lua Lua was on hand to convert the rebound.

United's biggest threat was again the delivery of Robert Snodgrass and Paul Connolly from the right. Matt Gilks had to rise well to collect one Snodgrass cross while Kisnorbo got up well to meet another cross, but no one could get on the end of the ball as it bounced back across goal.

Snodgrass also fed Andy Keogh with another great cross, but the Irishman was adjudged to be narrowly offside.

But worse was to follow for Leeds on 25 minutes. Rachubka failed to hold a cross and when Lua Lua attempted to fire home after the keeper spilled, Tom Lees was adjudged to have stopped the shot with his hand. The Leeds defender was immediately red carded and Jonjo Shelvey had the chance to make it 2-0 from the spot.

Shelvey stepped up and scored, but the referee ordered a re-take. The former Charlton man kept his cool, though, and converted the rebound.

And it was 3-0 six minutes later when Shelvey capitalised after Rachubka parried another shot by rounding the Leeds goalkeeper to tuck the ball home.

It was a disastrous opening period for Leeds and although Ross McCormack did send a shot just wide of the mark, the half-time whistle couldn't come soon enough for Grayson's men.

Grayson made two changes at half-time, Alex Cairns making his first team debut in place of Rachubka while Luciano Becchio came on for Andy Keogh.

United had to go on the offensive and the second period started with McCormack firing a cross up and over the box. Jonny Howson also had a shot blocked.

Blackpool goalkeeper Matt Gilks also had to come racing off his line to deny Adam Clayton and Leeds were really taking the game to the visitors with a spirited opening. There were penalty appeals when Danny Pugh felt a McCormack shot had been handled and, from the resultant corner, Howson pinged a shot just wide.

It took some good defending to deal with another Clayton cross, and the visitors had to scramble clear the resultant corner as United threatened again.

But, with United looking to attack, Blackpool were able to try and make the extra man count by breaking quickly and Ian Evatt headed a corner over the top after some good defending by Leeds.

Making his debut, Cairns was called upon to make his first save on the hour when he got down well to a low drive from just outside of the box

But the young goalkeeper was unable to do anything when Lua Lua bagged Blackpool's fourth with a clean left-foot strike from the edge of the box on 66 minutes.

And it was five 11 minutes later when Shelvey completed his hat-trick by latching on to a ball through the middle before slipping the ball past the advancing Cairns.

There was nothing the young goalkeeper could do about either goal, but he reacted by making two smart saves to prevent Blackpool from further their lead, the second a great block to deny Angel.

The last rites were played out to the defiant chanting of the Leeds fans who remained the ground and offered support until the very last.