Terry Venables made one change to the side that beat Birmingham City on New Year's Day by bringing back fit again skipper Dominic Matteo, who replaced Ian Harte.  Teddy Lucic was still out with a calf injury, but on the bench birthday boy James Milner, 17 today, was waiting for his chance to make it a day to remember.

Match report

Leeds went into the half-time break a goal up thanks to Mark Viduka's 31st minute penalty, but Terry Venables side had found themselves up against it for much of the half in a full-blooded Cup tie encounter.

The Third Division side started at a frenetic pace, and sought to apply the early pressure on United, playing balls into the box at the earliest opportunity.

It nearly paid off for Brian Laws' side as Martin Carruthers got goalside of Danny Mills and fired the  ball across the face of goal, the ball rolling to safety on the far side to the agony of the home support.

Scunthorpe maintainted the pressure on the United defence, and forced the errors with Mills unable to head clear twice and Matteo's poor clearance rectified at the expense of a corner.

Leeds had their early chances though, just the final delivery letting them down.  Twice Jason Wilcox beat his man on the left flank, but with Kewell, Viduka and Smith waiting to put away the cross, it was too easily cut out.

Mark Viduka should have scored on 13 minutes, but after Kewell had swung in an inch perfect cross, his partner's downwards header went wide of the left hand post.

By the first 15 minutes of play, two balls had been lost behind the small stands as Leeds made sure of their clearances.

On 21 minutes Viduka had another chance, Wilcox's pass into the box was perfect this time, and Viduka twisted and turned in typical style to create the space for the shot, but fired straight down the throat of the keeper who hung onto the ball at the second attempt.

Then came the penalty that gave Leeds their slender lead, Eirik Bakke's charge into the penalty area was ended when Matthew Sparrow tripped him from behind, and referee Alan Wiley pointed to the spot without hesitation.

Viduka kept his cool to send the keeper the wrong way and almost roll the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

The Iron fought back but couldn't disturb the United defence enough to create any real chances.  The best both fell to Ian Kilford with a free-kick that just went over the top and before that he forced Paul Robinson to turn the ball over his own bar when his cross took a wicked swing. 

Leeds started strongly against the lower league opponents, Harry Kewell blasted a ferocious shot just over and Eirik Bakke nearly grabbed his second goal of the week, but was again wide.

The home side in comparison were struggling to put much pressure on Robinson's goal, with the majority of play taking place inside their own half.  Leeds appeared to be getting it right, having learnt the lesson of last season's early exit at the hands of Cardiff.

Harry Kewell went on a mazy run from inside his own half, and once he saw off the last defender had only a mind for goal, Scunthorpe did well though to catch up with him and did enough to force him to blaze his shot over the keeper and over the top.

Terry Venables could hardly believe it when Kewell then wasted his best opportunity of the game.  Mark Viduka tricked his way in and out of the penalty area then chipped in a cross to Kewell at the back post, but he somehow headed over from four yards.

Leeds secured the win and completely spoilt Scunthorpe's party when Eirik Bakke went through on 68 minutes to make it 2-0.

The goal was started by some wing play from Smith, then Mark Viduka picked up the ball and played it perfectly through for Bakke to run onto and he calmly slotted the ball past Iron' keeper Tom Evans.  It was a goal worth the admission money for the build-up alone.

Everything looked as if it would be plain sailing from there on for Leeds, but the home side never quite gave up and some nervous moments followed for Venables men.

Paul Robinson was forced into a superb one handed save when he denied Carruthers a certain goal after the six-foot three number nine headed on a corner, and then Leeds survived a penalty appeal as United struggled to clear inside their area.

Leeds came close to 3-0 with ten minutes remaining when Bakke fired a fierce shot across the bow of the Scunthorpe goal, then he made way for birthday boy James Milner, celebrating his 17th on the day.

Scunthorpe sub Scott Brough nearly caught out Robinson with a low shot that went under the feet of his own man, but Robinson was down well to easily hang onto the shot. 

Kewell went off to allow Robbie Fowler another opportunity with six minutes left to play, Venables hoping that he might be able to kill the game off with a third goal. Seth Johnson later came on for Jason Wilcox. 

When the draw was made between these two sides everyone predicted a potential upset, but since then Leeds have moved up the table thanks to an unbeaten five game run and another composed display here made it six without defeat.  

Leeds were not going to be fallen idols on this occassion.