Leeds boosted their hopes of automatic promotion from League One with a deserved win over struggling Tranmere.
Robert Snodgrass' angled free-kick gave the visitors a ninth-minute lead.
Jermaine Beckford's 16th-minute penalty doubled Leeds' lead before John Welsh pulled one back for Tranmere three minutes later with a low drive.
But Luciano Becchio headed in a third before Beckford expertly lobbed Rovers keeper Luke Daniels to move Leeds five points clear of third-placed Charlton.
Tranmere manager Les Parry told BBC Radio Merseyside:
"I think the first half was our poorest performance since we've taken over.
"We had a little pop at the lads at half time and I think we were unfortunate to lose the second half to be honest.
"But the game was dead by then, it was a poor performance in the first half - just a comedy of errors."
Live text and stats
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Tranmere
1-4
Leeds United
FT
(HT 1-3)
Welsh 19
Snodgrass 9
Beckford (pen) 16
Becchio 34
Beckford 65
Tranmere
01 Daniels
05 Goodison
08 Broomes
24 Bakayogo
28 O'Neill (Logan 72)
04 Edds (Mahon 76)
06 McLaren
11 Welsh
09 Moore
25 Curran
27 Sordell (Savage 46)
Substitutes
13 Collister,
02 Logan,
03 Cresswell,
18 McCready,
10 Mahon,
19 Barnett,
07 Savage
Leeds United
01 Ankergren
03 Kisnorbo
06 Naylor
32 White
04 Doyle
14 Howson
15 McSheffrey
22 Hughes
09 Beckford (Dickov 82)
10 Becchio yellow card (Kandol 76)
23 Snodgrass (Gradel 76)
Substitutes
25 Martin,
26 Bromby,
08 Kilkenny,
16 Johnson,
28 Gradel,
07 Dickov,
20 Kandol
Ref: ShoebridgeAtt: 8,346
TRANMERE
LEEDS UNITED
Possession
Tranmere49%
Leeds United51%
Attempts on target
Tranmere5
Leeds United5
Attempts off target
Tranmere2
Leeds United3
Corners
Tranmere5
Leeds United2
Fouls
Tranmere11
Leeds United9
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:18 The referee blows his whistle to end the game.
90:00+3:37 Foul by Ian Thomas-Moore on Casper Ankergren, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Casper Ankergren.
90:00+3:00 The ball is swung over by Zoumana Bakayogo, comfortable save by Casper Ankergren.
90:00+0:31 Foul by Ian Thomas-Moore on Patrick Kisnorbo, free kick awarded. Casper Ankergren takes the direct free kick.
Correction - 89:35 Unfair challenge on Paul McLaren by Max Gradel results in a free kick. Luke Daniels takes the free kick.
89:35 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Paul McLaren by Max Gradel. Direct free kick taken by Luke Daniels.
87:56 Corner from the right by-line taken by Paul McLaren, comfortable save by Casper Ankergren.
87:26 The ball is swung over by John Welsh, Richard Naylor makes a clearance.
86:56 Floated corner taken left-footed by Alan Mahon from the left by-line, Patrick Kisnorbo makes a clearance.
86:44 Drilled left-footed shot by Alan Mahon. Save by Casper Ankergren.
85:57 Michael Doyle delivers the ball, clearance made by John Welsh.
85:38 The ball is sent over by Aidan White, clearance by Alan Mahon.
84:48 Unfair challenge on Max Gradel by Alan Mahon results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Patrick Kisnorbo.
83:55 Centre by Shaleum Logan.
83:32 Tresor Kandol gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Craig Curran. Paul McLaren takes the direct free kick.
82:00 Substitution Jermaine Beckford goes off and Paul Dickov comes on.
Correction - 80:43 The ball is delivered by Jonathan Howson.
80:43 The ball is swung over by Jonathan Howson, clearance by Tresor Kandol.
79:13 Ian Thomas-Moore crosses the ball.
77:22 Andy Hughes delivers the ball, clearance by Shaleum Logan.
75:46 Substitution Alan Mahon replaces Gareth Edds.
75:04 Substitution Luciano Becchio goes off and Tresor Kandol comes on.
75:04 Substitution Max Gradel joins the action as a substitute, replacing Robert Snodgrass.
72:10 Patrick Kisnorbo gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ian Thomas-Moore. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Paul McLaren.
71:34 Robert Snodgrass produces a cross, Effort from 12 yards by Jermaine Beckford. Luke Daniels makes a comfortable save.
71:01 Substitution Shaleum Logan comes on in place of Luke O'Neill.
69:44 The ball is delivered by Andy Hughes, clearance by Marlon Broomes.
68:00 The ball is sent over by John Welsh.
64:48 The assist for the goal came from Michael Doyle.
64:48 GOAL - Jermaine Beckford:Tranmere 1 - 4 Leeds United Jermaine Beckford finds the net with a goal from the edge of the penalty area low into the middle of the goal. Tranmere 1-4 Leeds.
64:26 The ball is sent over by Patrick Kisnorbo, Luke Daniels makes a comfortable save.
64:09 Gary McSheffrey takes a floated corner from the left by-line to the near post.
64:02 The ball is swung over by Gary McSheffrey, clearance by Marlon Broomes.
58:27 Jermaine Beckford produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the target.
56:40 The ball is crossed by Andy Hughes, Luke Daniels makes a comfortable save.
55:58 Foul by Craig Curran on Patrick Kisnorbo, free kick awarded. Casper Ankergren takes the direct free kick.
53:55 John Welsh produces a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area and misses left.
52:29 The ball is sent over by Luke O'Neill, clearance made by Patrick Kisnorbo.
51:06 The offside flag is raised against Jermaine Beckford. Luke Daniels takes the free kick.
49:00 Centre by Ian Thomas-Moore, Richard Naylor makes a clearance.
Correction - 46:55 Corner taken by Paul McLaren from the right by-line to the near post.
46:55 Corner taken by Paul McLaren played to the near post.
45:01 The second half has started.
45:01 Substitution Bas Savage joins the action as a substitute, replacing Marvin Sordell.
Half Time
45:00+2:02 The half-time whistle blows.
45:00+1:29 A cross is delivered by John Welsh.
45:00+1:17 Luke O'Neill produces a cross, clearance by Andy Hughes.
Correction - 45:00+0:29 Foul by Richard Naylor on Ian Thomas-Moore, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed right-footed by Paul McLaren, clearance made by Richard Naylor.
45:00+0:29 Richard Naylor gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ian Thomas-Moore. Paul McLaren takes the direct free kick.
44:40 Drilled right-footed shot by Jermaine Beckford. Save made by Luke Daniels.
41:43 Jermaine Beckford gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ian Goodison. Luke Daniels takes the free kick.
40:48 Direct free kick taken by Paul McLaren.
40:48 Booking Luciano Becchio is given a yellow card.
39:02 Paul McLaren crosses the ball, clearance by Richard Naylor.
38:42 Free kick awarded for a foul by Gary McSheffrey on John Welsh. Free kick taken by John Welsh. The ball is swung over by Paul McLaren, clearance by Richard Naylor.
37:56 Richard Naylor concedes a free kick for a foul on Marvin Sordell. Direct free kick taken by Paul McLaren.
37:16 Zoumana Bakayogo sends in a cross, clearance made by Patrick Kisnorbo.
36:05 Luciano Becchio takes a shot from just inside the penalty box which clears the crossbar.
35:33 Andy Hughes delivers the ball, save by Luke Daniels.
34:46 Free kick awarded for a foul by Paul McLaren on Luciano Becchio. Direct free kick taken by Richard Naylor.
33:34 Jermaine Beckford provided the assist for the goal.
33:34 GOAL - Luciano Becchio:Tranmere 1 - 3 Leeds United Luciano Becchio finds the back of the net with a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Tranmere 1-3 Leeds.
33:26 Centre by Jermaine Beckford,
27:43 Effort from the edge of the box by Marvin Sordell goes wide of the left-hand upright.
22:59 The referee blows for offside. Free kick taken by Luke Daniels.
21:40 The assistant referee flags for offside against Robert Snodgrass. Indirect free kick taken by Luke Daniels.
21:25 Effort on goal by Gary McSheffrey from 25 yards. Save by Luke Daniels.
20:47 The ball is swung over by Gary McSheffrey, Zoumana Bakayogo makes a clearance.
18:30 GOAL - John Welsh:Tranmere 1 - 2 Leeds United John Welsh grabs a goal from just inside the area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Tranmere 1-2 Leeds.
17:14 John Welsh fouled by Patrick Kisnorbo, the ref awards a free kick. John Welsh has a direct shot on goal from the free kick, Gary McSheffrey gets a block in. Luke O'Neill takes a shot. Save by Casper Ankergren. Corner taken short by Paul McLaren.
16:35 The ball is swung over by Zoumana Bakayogo, Richard Naylor makes a clearance.
15:57 GOAL - Jermaine Beckford:Tranmere 0 - 2 Leeds United Jermaine Beckford scores a power penalty. Tranmere 0-2 Leeds.
14:48 Penalty awarded for a foul by Paul McLaren on Gary McSheffrey.
12:30 Foul by Marlon Broomes on Jermaine Beckford, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Patrick Kisnorbo.
12:21 Zoumana Bakayogo delivers the ball, clearance made by Andy Hughes.
11:19 Robert Snodgrass concedes a free kick for a foul on Zoumana Bakayogo. Ian Goodison takes the direct free kick.
10:02 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Michael Doyle by Paul McLaren. Direct free kick taken by Casper Ankergren.
9:52 The ball is crossed by Zoumana Bakayogo, Richard Naylor manages to make a clearance.
9:40 Short corner worked by Paul McLaren.
8:22 GOAL - Robert Snodgrass:Tranmere 0 - 1 Leeds United Robert Snodgrass grabs a goal from outside the box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Tranmere 0-1 Leeds.
7:55 Ian Goodison gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jermaine Beckford. Free kick crossed left-footed by Robert Snodgrass from right wing,
6:54 A cross is delivered by Robert Snodgrass, Ian Goodison manages to make a clearance.
Correction - 6:26 Craig Curran takes a shot. Casper Ankergren makes a save.
6:26 Craig Curran takes a shot. Save made by Casper Ankergren.
5:44 John Welsh challenges Robert Snodgrass unfairly and gives away a free kick. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Robert Snodgrass from right wing, save by Luke Daniels.
2:20 Corner from the left by-line taken by Gary McSheffrey, Luciano Becchio has a headed effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the goal.
1:22 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Robert Snodgrass by Paul McLaren. Robert Snodgrass takes the direct free kick.
0:00 The referee gets the game underway.
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