Leeds United 2 Southend 0: Gradel targets five wins as he backs 'bad boy' Beckford

Max Gradel took the plaudits alongside Luciano Becchio while 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' was one of the barbs aimed at top scorer Jermaine Beckford as Leeds initially made hard work of it against financially stricken and relegation-threatened opposition.

Ivory Coast winger Gradel, however, defended the 27-goal top scorer, whose goalless drought extended to five games and who was substituted in the 58th minute.

"Jermaine is the best striker in this league but the thing is it is not quite happening for him at the moment," said Gradel, emerging with a cut head and a bloodied nose from the encounter.

"When you are a goalscorer and are not scoring, people think you are not having a good game but you have to take it on the chin and come back stronger.

"All I know is that Jermaine is a good player and we need him."

With Argentinian Becchio having been knocked out at Norwich, Gradel had been given a slot behind Beckford in the win at Yeovil and he continued in that role against Southend.

He broke the deadlock in the 60th minute to set Leeds on the way to successive victories for the first time since a five-game winning run culminated in the famous FA Cup third round victory over Manchester United in January.

"I'm very happy. I've been waiting for my starts and you need to be ready when you get the chance.

"I'm enjoying playing in the side. I'm no striker but I'm ready to do a job. It's nice to score my first goal since December but the most important thing is to win," added the little 22-year-old, whose enthusiasm to track back and win tackles lifted the team and the crowd.

"I wouldn't say the supporters have seen the best of me yet. I keep working hard every day and keep improving. They haven't seen the best of me but it's going to come soon when I get my confidence back and everything will be perfect."

Victory lifted Leeds back to third just a point behind Millwall but Gradel added ahead of tomorrow's trip to Carlisle: "I think we will win the last five games, no question about drawing any of them. We will win the last five games by working hard and then, hopefully, we will get automatically promoted."

The key to Leeds's victory was the return of Becchio, whom a section of fans started chanting for after Beckford had gestured to them behind the goal in the first half when he had failed to challenge goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall for a cross.

At least Beckford hugged the Argentinian and shook manager Simon Grayson's hand when he was withdrawn in the 58th minute. He then watched from the dugout as his strike partner's first touch, a header inside from the touchline near halfway, sent Robert Snodgrass bursting down the middle to feed Gradel, who cut inside the full-back before seeing his somewhat scuffed shot take a deflection off Pat Baldwin inside Mildenhall's left-hand post to send the Kop into raptures.

Once that goal had gone in, there was going to be no way back for Southend's threadbare squad, manager Steve Tilson admitting: "Beckford is a quality player but the way Jermaine played today, I would have liked him to stay on.

"Leeds had loads of fire-power on the bench and that's the big difference. Simon did what he needed to do and that's what changed the game."

Becchio crowned his match-turning performance with the second goal in the 83rd-minute, nodding down and home from close range after Bradley Johnson's shot had been blocked into the path of Gradel, who made the cross.

There was one disappointment for Leeds, who had Michael Doyle in top ball-winning form in central midfield and had several other players showing glimpses of the talent which made the side an irresistible force in the first half of the cam paign.

Substitute Johnson caught Jean-Francois Christophe's ankle as he made a strong tackle and collected his 10th booking of the season, which will result in a two-match ban, starting tomorrow night.

However, with Andrew Hughes having looked solid at left-back before being rested and with Ben Parker on the bench, that should not prove a major headache for Grayson.

His defence looked strong – Scott Vernon wasting Southend's best chance just before the break when he overran possession in the area – with Neil Collins and Richard Naylor repelling most of the crosses and no-one getting the better of right-back Leigh Bromby, whose distribution, however, certainly needs working on.

And had it not been for a wonderfully committed performance from captain and central defender Adam Barratt – his early clash of heads with Gradel left the Leeds player requiring bandaging – then Southend would have been sunk long before Becchio's intervention.

Leeds United: Higgs, Bromby, Naylor, Collins, Hughes (Johnson 58); Howson, Kilkenny, Doyle, Snodgrass (Watt 86); Gradel, Beckford (Becchio 58). Unused substitutes: Ankergren, Grella, McSheffrey, Parker.

Southend United: Mildenhall, Sankofa, Baldwin, Barratt, Herd; Francis, Grant, Christophe, O'Keefe; Vernon, Paterson (Laurent 64). Unused substitutes: Malone, M'Voto, Jack, Crawford.

Referee: E Ilderton (Tyne and Wear).