EFL Sky Bet Championship

Leeds United 3 (Roofe 18, Hernandez 45, Doukara 90) Preston North End 0

Leeds United got back to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Preston North End at Elland Road.

The Whites almost got off to the worst possible start, Marnick Vermijl crossed into the box and the Whites had Rob Green to thank, making a super save from Tom Barkhuizen's header.

At the following corner Barkhuizen had another opportunity to give Preston the lead, but he could only head straight at Green.

Leeds came close to countering superbly, Alfonso Pedraza did well down the left, before trying to play Kemar Roofe through on goal, but his pass was intercepted with a last ditch effort.

In the 13^th minute Barkhuizen was played through on goal, one-on-one with Green, but the Preston forward let Leeds off the hook, putting his effort wide of the post.

Leeds took the lead with their first real chance of the game, Kemar Roofe played a great one-two with Chris Wood and his deflected effort looped over Preston stopper Chris Maxwell and into the back of the net.

Aiden McGeady tried his luck from range to try and equalise for the visitors, but his low effort was off target.

Ronaldo Vieira then put a great cross into the Preston box and Wood was just inches away from getting on the end of it.

Luke Ayling then drove an effort from range at goal, but Wood couldn’t get the crucial touch to send the shot on target.

Wood then thought he had doubled the Leeds lead, he went through one-on-one before slotting home, however after the celebrations were complete, the goal was eventually ruled out for offside.

Pedraza then did really well to get to the byline for Leeds, he teed up Roofe to try and score his second of the afternoon, but the forward scuffed his effort wide.

However Leeds did get a second goal before the break, Pablo Hernandez was played in on goal and he slid in, beating Maxwell to the ball and his effort eventually trickled over the line.

Half Time: Leeds United 2-0 Preston North End

Ten minutes into the second half, Leeds almost extended the lead from a corner.  Hernandez delivered, Kyle Bartley headed down and Wood saw his effort denied by the crossbar.

Hernandez almost grabbed his second, he found space in the Preston box, but saw his effort deflect just wide.

From the resulting corner, Bartley headed at goal, but saw his effort cleared off the line by Ben Pearson.

Vieira was next to go close, he fired at goal from the edge of the box and he was only denied by a super save from Maxwell.

Preston substitute Jermaine Beckford was given a warm reception on his introduction, he tried his luck from range when he stole possession from Gaetano Berardi, but Green was equal to it.

The visitors should have pulled a goal back in the 76^th minute, Green makes a great save to deny McGeady, then Barkhuizen fired the rebound against the crossbar, before Simon Makienok heads over, with the goal gaping.

Leeds substitutes Stuart Dallas and Souleymane Doukara then linked up well, with the latter going through on goal, however he couldn’t beat Maxwell, who deflected his effort wide of the post.

Alex Baptiste was then shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Hernandez, before Doukara sealed it late on, with a run from the right hand side, beating Maxwell at his near post, to cap off a great victory.

Full Time: Leeds United 3-0 Preston North End

Leeds: Green, Ayling, Bartley, Jansson, Berardi, Vieira, Phillips, Pedraza, Hernandez (Taylor 88), Roofe (Dallas 70), Wood (Doukara 80).  Subs not used: Peacock-Farrell, O’Kane, Barrow, Coyle.

Preston: Maxwell, Vermijl (Johnson 61), Cunningham, Pearson, Clarke, Gallagher (Makienok 72), McGeady, Huntington, Baptiste, Barkhuizen, Robinson (Beckford 72).  Subs not used: Lindegaard, Horgan, Browne, Spurr.

Booked: Wood (Leeds)

Sent Off: Baptiste (Preston)

Referee: P. Bankes

Venue: Elland Road