Leeds United 2-1 Exeter City

LEEDS UNITED 2 (Beckford 13, 89), EXETER 1 (Russell 73)

United: Higgs, Crowe, Kisnorbo, Marques, Parker (Hughes 28), Snodgrass, Howson, Doyle, Johnson (Robinson 74), Becchio (Showunmi 84), Beckford. Subs: Ankergren, Prutton, Grella, Michalik.

Exeter: Jones, Duffy, Russell, Seabourne, Taylor, Harley, Golbourne, Corr, Cork (Sercombe 90), Edwards (McAllster 60), Stewart (Norwood 70). Subs: Marriott, Tully, Burnell, A-Henville.

Referee: N Miller

Booked: Showunmi (Leeds), Edwards (Exeter).

Sent-off: Corr (Exeter)

Att: 27,681

Leeds United just don't lose on the first day of the season, that is a fact. It's been 20 years since we lost on the opening day and indeed, the streak of wins at Elland Road now stands at 12 without loss at home.

Leeds gave league debuts to Higgs, Crowe, Kisnorbo and this week's season-long loanee Michael Doyle.

The match was a very mixed affair. Leeds certainly started the brightest. Becchio had a good header that just went over the bar and Beckford had a couple of efforts stopped by Jones in the Exeter goal.

13 minutes into the new season was all it took for Leeds to gain the advantage though when Ben Parker picked up the ball close to the halfway line and made a decisive dart around a few players before slotting the ball through to Jermaine Beckford who made no mistake, putting the ball out of the reach of the keeper in the bottom left hand corner.

Not long afterwards, Beckford also hit the bar with a header and Doyle failed to hit the target with the followup.

Leeds lost Ben Parker soon after though when he pulled up with what looked to be a painful leg injury and he was replaced by Andy Hughes.

Exeter finished the first half on top with a couple of chances but nothing that really challenged Higgs at all.

At half time, we were treated to the new halftime game where someone randomly from the crowd has to try to score from the halfway line to win a DAB radio...they also get free pizza...but the guy didn't do it so only went back into the stand with his pizza!

The second half started well, but a clash of heads slowed everything down whilst Kisnorbo was treated for a head wound, only to come back on the pitch sporting a huge bandage wrapped around his noggin!

Beckford had a couple of chances that he tried to lift over the keeper but he saw them both miss the goal.

Bizarrely, the Exeter striker Barry Corr was red-carded for an incident which no-one really had a clue about. Everyone seemed as shocked as he did when we walked.

Crowe missed an absolute sitter as he was put clean through and then he turned villain after giving away a free kick just outside the area which was converted sweetly by Exeter to make it 1-1.

Becchio had another good chance but couldn't scramble the ball into the net. He was substituted for Showumni who made a huge impact as he played a great ball out to the right for Crowe who lifted a ball into the area which met the head of Beckford who made the game 2-1 with a minute of normal time to go.

Beckford almost got a hattrick when his injury-time effort was saved by the Keeper.

It was by no means convincing...but the three points are in the bag and that is all that matters.

Next match : Darlington on Monday in the Carling Cup up in Darlington. I am heading up there for the game and will report back on my return.