Leeds United 0-2 Oldham Athletic
Stu Vose at Elland Road
Midfield flyer Chris Taylor bagged a super Roses double as Athletic pulled off a stunning derby victory at promotion favourites Leeds.
Athletic travelled over the Pennines in good heart following the opening-day comeback against Millwall, and it got even better as they claimed a deserved three points in front of an expectant Elland Road crowd.
Taylor netted his first five minutes after the break when he nodded into an empty net after Lee Hughes had nipped in between Paul Huntington and keeper Casper Ankergren to touch Andy Liddell's centre onto the crossbar.
And the flying winger's 65th-minute second was simply outstanding - an unstoppable curler from 18 yards which ripped past a stretching Ankergren and into the far corner of the goal.
John Sheridan's side triumphed at the same ground last year, and they defended superbly whilst displaying the attacking nous required to secure a comfortable winning margin.
Leeds had also won their opening-day fixture when they came from behind at Scunthorpe, and a bumper crowd gathered for their first home game of the new season.
The hosts had the better of the opening exchanges, winning a number of free kicks in dangerous areas without managing to find a way past a stout visiting defence.
With 14 minutes played keeper Mark Crossley was forced to race from his goal to head away a long ball with Leeds dangerman Jermaine Beckford homing in.
Latics had the ball in the net four minutes later through Taylor following a corner, but the referee had already blown for a foul by Reuben Hazell.
Robert Snodgrass blazed a volley high and wide for the hosts, while Taylor forced Casper Ankergren into his first real save following an incisive run from deep.
Then Taylor was integral to the action at the other end, remaining alert to clear the danger after Huntington headed Andy Robinson's free kick back across the box.
More sterling defensive work was required when Huntington tracked the flight of a right-wing corner and rose highest in front of goal - Lee Hughes getting his body in the danger zone and allowing Athletic to clear their lines.
Roared on by a noisy home support, Gary McAllister's men upped the ante and twice threatened when Beckford's snapshot was deflected wide and Snodgrass headed over from the resulting corner.
Mark Allott relieved some pressure when he set Taylor away down the left on the break, but Danny Whitaker couldn't hit the target when set up for a shot on the edge of the box.
Goalless at the break, Athletic came out full of industry straight from the restart and were rewarded just five minutes into the second half when Hughes struck the crossbar and Taylor gleefully headed in the rebound.
Hughes could have made it two when he raced onto a long ball and rounded Ankergren on the edge of the box, but Rui Marques did well to force the striker wide.
The visitors' breakthrough had visibly rocked Leeds and they would have been two down minutes later had Alessandra not been occupying an offside position when he turned home Mark Allott's deflected shot.
But back came Leeds, who put Athletic under a period of sustained pressure and tested their mettle with a succession of crosses into the box.
They almost succeeded when big man Enoch Showunmi rose highest at the far post to knock the ball down into space eight yards out, but Allott managed to hack the ball clear with home players closing in.
Leeds, though, had reckoned without Athletic's attacking prowess, and the visitors extended their lead when Taylor stunned Elland Road by beating Ankergren from the edge of the box.
Now McAllister's men were looking at a two-goal deficit, with the Leeds boss making two immediate substitutions in attempt to swing the game back in his favour.
One of those replacements - striker Luciano Becchio - tasted his first real action when he got on the end of a Snodgrass free kick, but the frontman was under pressure from Sean Gregan and could only nudge the ball wide.
The hosts were restricted to only infrequent attacking incursions, Alan Sheehan testing Crossley with a 77th-minute free kick which the veteran watched all the way and gathered easily.
And indeed it was Athletic who had the best chance of the closing stages when Alessandra raced through one-on-one with Ankergren, but the stopper emerged the winner by dropping down to nick the ball off the striker's toes.
Leeds pushed briefly in the four allocated minutes of injury time, but Athletic sustained the wall of steel at the back to secure another memorable win at Elland Road.
Latics: Crossley, Eardley, Lomax, Gregan, Hazell, Taylor, Liddell (Smalley, 79), Allott, Whitaker, Hughes (O'Grady, 68), Alessandra (Maher, 89).
Subs Not Used: Stam, Fleming.
Booked: Eardley (61), O'Grady (90).
Sent Off: None.
Scorers: Taylor (50, 65)
Leeds: Ankergren, Richardson, Huntington, Marques, Prutton, Beckford, Sheehan, Howson (Delph, 65), Robinson, Showunmi (Becchio, 65), Snodgrass.
Subs Not Used: Douglas, Telfer, Lucas.
Booked: Prutton (80).
Sent Off: None.
Scorers: None.
Referee: Mr M Russell
Assistant: Mr S Bennett
Assistant: Mr M Naylor
Fourth Official: Mr P Quinn
Att: 26,431
