Greg Abbott made two changes for the trip to Elland Road bringing Paul Thirlwell and Peter Murphy back in to the side at the expense of Bridge-Wilkinson and Keogh.

New signing Joe Anyinsah was given a watching brief, with just one training session with the side under his belt, and Cleveland Taylor kept his starting place on the right hand side of midfield.

Former United loanee Jermaine Beckford missed out on a starting place for Leeds due to a troublesome hamstring injury, with Cumbrian-born defender Paul Huntington also on the home casualty list.

United player-coach Graham Kavanagh, in his first day on the job, took the pre-match warm up routine on a playing surface that looked in very good condition despite the near-freezing temperatures around the ground.

A bright start to the game brought a swift attack from the Whites when Becchio found space in an advanced position. His pass pushed Christie out wide, but Richardson was on hand to lend support. He cut inside and shot with his weaker left foot, and Tim Krul was able to gather in the United goal.

Carlisle striker Michael Bridges had a weak claim for a penalty on 4 minutes when he tumbled to the floor theatrically under pressure from Marques, but Referee Mr Friend was never going to blow.

Bridges had a great chance to open the scoring on 7 minutes when a neat flick from Taylor sent him one on one with Ankergren. The big keeper stayed calm and spread himself to make the block when the shot came.

Malcolm Christie had a volley from the edge of the area blocked in the 12th minute when he was first to a half clearance from a Snodgrass free kick, and Snodgrass was in the thick of it again on 16 minutes when a brilliant trap and turn created space in midfield. He fed the ball on to Becchio, but he could only find the side netting from a very tight angle.

Alan Sheehan tested Krul with a 25-yard free kick as Leeds enjoyed the early upper hand, but Carlisle took the lead with a clinical and superb display of football in the 27th minute.

Graham Kavanagh released Cleveland Taylor on the right flank with an inch perfect pass, and his first time pull back invited Danny Graham to move in to the box and bury a shot beneath Ankergren with what was an unstoppable volley.

Leeds thought they had equalised on 32 minutes when Christie played Snodgrass on the overlap, and his cross picked out Becchio just 4-yards from goal. He connected well, but Krul was there to block the effort on the line. Hughes tried to recover the situation, but his low cross was easy for Murphy to clear and the Cumbrians survived the scare.

United got their second in some style in the 35th minute when Bridges and Graham combined with one touch football to carve open the Whites defence. Michael Bridges looked to have taken it too far when he was confronted by the sprawling form of Casper Ankergren, but he kept his head and slid it in to the back of the net from a very tight angle.

Graham Kavanagh tried to extend the lead yet further with an ambitious effort from a 24-yard free kick but Ankergren was able to watch it all the way and gathered it comfortably.

Leeds came close again in the 42nd minute when Michalik spread the ball to Hughes. His low cross, shot was dangerous, and it took a touch off Livesey and whistled just millimetres beyond the far post.

Becchio brought a diving save out of Krul moments before half time but it was the last chance of the period with United holding on to their deserved two goal lead.

Half Time: Leeds 0 - 2 United

Becchio wasted the first chance of the second period on 49 minutes when he went for a flamboyant overhead kick. Snodgrass had delivered a good free kick to the far post for Hughes to nod back, but the move fell apart when the Leeds man went for glory.

Michalik then found the ball at his feet when Krul spilled a corner, but he couldn't shift it and Liddle was able to clear.

It was a good spell for the home side, and Hughes was next to miss when a Snodgrass free kick came through to him at the far post, but he failed to get any kind of connection on to it.

Danny Graham blazed a 23-yard free kick in to the stands on 65 minutes, as United started to look comfortable again, but Leeds should have pulled one back on 68 minutes when Becchio found space in the box. He tried to place his shot, but Krul got a vital touch that took it on to the woodwork. The rebound eventually came to Andy Robinson, but he missed an open goal as he lost his balance and screwed the ball in to the air for the keeper to catch.

Carlisle should have wrapped it up in the 72nd minute when Raven got himself forward and evaded two challenges. He spotted Bridge-Wilkinson in space, with just Ankergren to beat, but the United substitute rushed his shot and prodded it the wrong side of the upright.

Krul was in the right place to grasp a Johnson volley as Leeds threw more men forward, and Raven had to clear when facing his own goal as Robinson swung one in from the left.

Johnson went close again on 80 minutes when a delicate chip from the edge of the area threatened to drop in to the corner, but it spun away and Krul was able to watch it fall harmlessly behind his goal.

Trundle fizzed an 84th minute free kick over the bar as Leeds became more and more frustrated, and the angst grew in time added on when Krul saved a stinging shot from Trundle, and Johnson was then immediately thwarted on the follow up by a brave tackle from Raven.

United stood strong as the Whites ran out of ideas and held on to a well deserved away win.

Goals

United - Graham (27), Bridges (35)

Bookings

United - Smith (48), Thirlwell (60), Graham (68), Kavanagh (81)

Teams 

Leeds - Ankergren, Richardson, Douglas, Marques, Michalik, Becchio, Sheehan (Johnson 56), Delph, Hughes (Robinson 62), Snodgrass, Christie (Trundle 56). Subs - Lucas, Assoumani.

Carlisle - Krul, Raven, Livesey, Murphy, Liddle, Taylor (Bridge-Wilkinson 66), Kavanagh, Thirlwell, J Smith, Bridges (Dobie 59), Graham. Subs - Williams, Hackney, Keogh.

Away fans - tbc