UNITED 2 SOUTHEND 0

UNITED: Stack, Kelly, Butler, Kilgallon, Lewis (Booked ), Moore (Richardson 60), Douglas (Booked), Derry (Booked), Johnson (Westlake 86), Cresswell, Healy (Blake 80). Subs: Warner, Foxe.

SOUTHEND: Flahavan, Hunt, Barrett, Gower, Maher, Eastwood, Guttridge (Campbell-Ryce 78), Clarke, Sodje, Hammell, Hooper (Harrold 71). Subs: Prior, Collis, Moussa.

REFEREE: C Foy

Attendance: 19,528

Elland Road welcomed new manager Dennis Wise for his first game at the helm, and the new boss was quick to ring the changes from the side which lost to Southend in midweek.

Loan goalkeeper Graham Stack was plunged straight into the side for his debut while Eddie Lewis was handed a starting place at left-back and Ian Moore was given the nod on the right side of a four-man midfield.

The Wise era almost got off to the perfect start when Ian Moore popped up on the left flank and jinked his way into the box but David Healy was unable to convert the low cross.

Leeds continued to dominate the opening exchanges of the match when Adam Johnson hit a powerful shot from about 22 yards tbut it flew just over the bar.

Wise's United seemed a far more organised and hard working team than that of recent weeks and they looked a real threat going forward with both Johnson and Moore dangerous on the counter attack.

Leeds finally made the breakthrough six minutes before half time when Eddie Lewis hit a 40 yard pass for Ian Moore to score his first league goal for the club with a delicate finish, lifting the ball over Flahavan.

Minutes into the restart Cresswell almost made it two when his shot rolled agonisingly across the face of the goal before Southend managed to clear the danger.

However, Southend tried to make a fight of it and they came close to equalising when Graham Stack made a point blank save  to tip the ball over for a corner. Then moments later the visitors almost scored again when a deflected shot from Steve Hammell hit an upright. 

A wonderful free-kick from Robbie Blake secured all three points for United though when his curling free-kick beat the outstretched hand of Darryl Flahavan to make it 2-0.

Throughout the second half United were content to soak up the pressure and hit Southend on the break and with resilianant defending and organised counter attacking football, Dennis Wise got off to a winning start in his first match in charge.