Carlisle United 1 Leeds United 3: Spirited United move back into second place

At a venue where their Wembley hopes had perished just two months earlier amid chaotic scenes that saw three visiting players attacked on the pitch, United's character and resolve was always going to be given a serious examination.

It was a challenge Simon Grayson's men rose to in admirable fashion to reclaim second place from Millwall, who rescued a point with a late equaliser at Yeovil Town, with comfortably their best league display of 2010.

Nowhere was this desire and determination to succeed more apparent than up front with Max Gradel and Luciano Becchio flourishing in the absence of top scorer Jermaine Beckford, who was dropped for the first time in three years after a series of ineffective displays.

Becchio netted twice with Gradel adding the other on what, come the season's end, may just prove to be a defining moment of the season.

Certainly, on the evidence of last night, United seem to have every chance of delivering on Grayson's Easter Saturday vow that his side were capable of winning their final seven games.

Since then Yeovil Town, Southend United and now Carlisle have been beaten to send United to Gillingham this weekend a point clear of the chasing pack.

Adapting quickly to a difficult and bobbly pitch, Grayson's side were clearly in no mood to mess around.

Showing intelligence and craft whenever in possession, Leeds created a host of chances that, with steadier finishing, would have seen the Yorkshire side out of sight by the break.

Just eight minutes were on the clock when Gradel was presented with the first clearcut opening of the game courtesy of Ian Harte's blunder.

Now employed in the centre of defence, the former Leeds

left-back made a complete hash of an attempted back header only for Gradel to hesitate and allow him to make amends with a last-ditch tackle.

From the resulting corner, Richard Naylor then had a 'goal' disallowed for a foul by Becchio before Leeds took a deserved 13th-minute lead when Adam Collin failed to hold a dipping free-kick by Robert Snodgrass.

Becchio was the first to react, the Argentinian slamming a fierce shot past the prone goalkeeper.

Leeds continued to dominate but Becchio somehow shot wide from three yards when found by Snodgrass before Michael Doyle released Gradel with an incisive pass. The speedy Ivory Coast fronman, in turn, raced into the area to drill a centre intended for Jonny Howson that was brilliantly cleared by Evan Horwood.

Gradel was then presented with an excellent chance by another poor header from Harte only for Collin to make amends for his earlier mistake by pulling off a smart save.

Despite United's dominance in the first half, there was always a suspicion the home side might muster up a decent chance courtesy of a set-piece.

Cue Harte, so deadly in a Leeds shirt with the ball at his feet, to whip in a sublime free-kick that allowed Richard Keogh to steal a march on his marker to power an unstoppable header past Shane Higgs.

The fact it was Carlisle's first effort on goal only added to the frustration of the 2,500 travelling fans after a first half in which their team had been in charge.

Any fears that Leeds might crumble were blown away within 107 seconds of the restart when another sweeping move culminated in Leigh Bromby's inviting cross being headed powerfully past Collin by Gradel.

Clearly in no mood to repeat the mistakes of the first half where profligacy had allowed Carlisle a way back into the game, United poured forward and were rewarded with a third goal just four minutes later.

Gradel was this time the creator with a clever pass that allowed Becchio to race clear courtesy of a perfectly-timed burst from halfway.

Then, as goalkeeper Collin rushed from his line in an attempt to narrow the angle, United's south American coolly rolled a shot into the net to send the travelling fans into raptures.

So impressive had the display been that even Jon Obika's dramatic 93rd-minute equaliser for Millwall at Huish Park could not detract from a hugely encouraging night for the Yorkshire club.

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Carlisle United: Collin; Keogh, Aldred (Raven 64), Harte, Horwood; Dobie (Bowman 81), Taiwo, Thirlwell (Bridge-Wilkinson 60), Marshall; Clayton; Madine. Unused substitutes: Pidgeley, Kavanagh, Rothery, Kane.

Leeds United: Higgs; Bromby, Naylor, Collins, Hughes; Howson, Kilkenny, Doyle, Snodgrass; Becchio (Grella 88), Gradel (Beckford 88). Unused substitutes: Ankergren, McSheffrey, Parker, Lowry, Watt.

Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).