Leeds United outclass Huddersfield Town to take the derby spoils with ease

For all of the talk of Leeds United's lack of a predatory goalscorer on the money with twenty plus goals this season, there are plenty of others willing to periodically step up and put their hand up.

On this occasion, it was Luke Ayling who volunteered in magisterial fashion.

His swerving volley following a probing move that ended with Jack Harrison sending over an intelligent cross took the collective breath away with his effort flying off the underside of the crossbar.

The full-back - fresh from his contribution with the only goal of the game in the previous home appointment - could not have hit it any sweeter.

Others such as Jack Harrison, Mateusz Klich, Pablo Hernandez and Gjanni Alioski have also produced timely goals at junctures this season, as have others. The effort has been a shared one as it should be.

Much talk this season may have been expended on Patrick Bamford's lack of a clinical edge for spells this term, although his importance to the team with his hold-out work and assists and work rate cannot be doubted.

In the event he displayed that and a bit more besides in notching a relieving goal to settle this derby on 51 minutes with the sort of close-range goal that all strikers worth their salt love.

It was Bamford's first goal in eight matches - and it was the cue for a love-in with the Kop.

For the second successive weekend, Leeds outclassed a lowly Yorkshire opponent and while the margin of victory was not as comprehensive as events at Hull, there was no doubting the hosts' authority and class which was too much on the day for Town.

The performance and result confirmed that Leeds are well on track to make up for last season's shattering disappointment on a day when they moved seven points clear of Fulham, who could only draw at Bristol City.

It was a potentially pivotal afternoon sweetened by Leeds taking over at the summit after their fifth successive victory and clean sheet - something they last achieved in December 2009. They have now not conceded a goal in almost eight-and-a-half hours.

The main talk beforehand may have been on the absence of the 'Yorkshire Pirlo' in Kalvin Phillips, but Leeds supporters need not have worried.

Their start was blistering and their third-minute opener simply sensational, even if Karlan Grant was guilty of switching off and not tracking Ayling.

It was the worst possible start for Huddersfield Town on derby day and the early signs looked bleak for Danny Cowley's side. But they hung in as you have to in situations like this.

It represented an education for their young side, with the likes of Lewis O'Brien, Trevoh Chalobah and Emile Smith Rowe commendably getting their act together after a tough start.

Their best opportunity arrived on 21 minutes with neat play between Fraizer Campbell and Chalobah ended in the latter unleashing a low drive which stuck underneath the body of home debutant Ilan Meslier.

But of the action was at the other hand with Leeds producing some moments of trademark class, in between some bouts of sloppiness.

Wonderfully instinctive play ended in Harrison seeing his well-struck volley flash inches wide from Ayling's cross, shortly after Helder Costa's heavy touch just failed to send Patrick Bamford clear for a picture-book goal.

A glancing header from Ben White - in the Phillips number six role, with Gaetano Berardi slotting in at the back for his 150th appearance for Leeds - also flew just off target as Leeds posted the conviction and poise in the main.

With a number of handy options on his bench, there were at least options for Cowley, unlike in the reverse fixture at the John Smith's Stadium when Town were decimated by injury.

Instead of twisting at the interval, Cowley stuck, with Leeds again flying out of the blocks, with a well-placed Harrison heading straight at Lossl after probing work by Hernandez and Dallas moments into the second half.

Cuteness soon set up Bamford, but Lossl got his angles right to block after a nice reverse pass from Klich.

The pressure was sustained and it culminated in a second goal which confirmed their superiority.

Hernandez's free-kick was met by White, whose goalbound header was parried by Lossl, with Bamford gobbling up the rebound.

It was the cue for party time for the delighted Leeds hordes, headed by an ironic chant of 'Leeds are falling apart', with Harrison going close to a third with Town on the ropes.

A brazen nutmeg from Hernandez - with no enforcer in Jonathan Hogg to police him - to deceive Chalobah ended in him firing in a low shot which was blocked by Stearman before

Harrison hit the post with an exquisite curler as Leeds started to comprehensively outclass their chastened visitors with the home fans showing no mercy in their chants towards Town supporters.

A rare chance at the other end saw Meslier uncomfortably field a shot from Smith Rowe before Berardi cleared, but it was a moment in isolation.

Leeds had Town where they wanted and had the measure of them.

More class from Hernandez set up Helder Costa, with Stearman making another saving block.

Leeds saw the game out comfortably enough, although there was a late scare when they survived a penalty appeal after Stearman went down in the box, but referee Oliver Langford was unmoved.

Leeds United: Meslier; Ayling, Berardi, Cooper, Dallas, White, Costa, Klich (Shackleton 83), Hernandez, Harrison (Alioski 90), Bamford (Roberts 78). Substitues unused: Caprile, Struijk, Alioski, Casey.

Huddersfield Town; Lossl, Simpson, Stearman, Schindler, Toffolo, Chalobah, O'Brien, Willock (Pritchard 66), Smith Rowe (Bacuna 71), Grant, Campbell (Mounie 61). Substitutes unused: Coleman, Kachunga, Stankovic, King.

Referee: O Langford (West Midlands).

Attendance: 36,514.