Souleymane Doukara’s goal in only the 12th second - the fastest in all four divisions so far this season - has given Leeds a 1-0 lead over the Blues at half-time at Portman Road.
Mick McCarthy reverted to the team which won 1-0 at Brighton and showed only one change from the side which drew 0-0 at Burnley last time out in the Championship with Jonathan Douglas returning from his knee injury to replace Luke Hyam in the Blues three-man midfield. For Leeds, former Town loan striker Chris Wood missed out with a hamstring injury.
The Blues found themselves behind after just 12 seconds. Skipper Luke Chambers headed a long ball down the Leeds left inside towards Douglas, who dallied and was outmuscled by Doukara, who slammed a low shot past Dean Gerken to record the fastest goal in all four divisions this season, four seconds quicker than Freddie Sears’s goal at Fulham.
Town, stung by conceding such an early goal, went looking for an equaliser. Murphy forced keeper Marco Silvestri into a fifth minute save, then from the corner Chambers was adamant he’d been pulled back as Douglas headed the ball back across the area, however, referee Fred Graham wasn’t interested.
Fraser scuffed a shot through to Silvestri on six before Tommy Smith inadvertently diverted a Mustapha Carayol cross goalwards but Gerken was able to claim comfortably.
Leeds weren’t far away from increasing their advantage in the 12th minute when Doukara sent Carayol away on the left and Smith again scuffed the on-loan Middlesbrough winger’s cross towards his own goal but the Town keeper clawed behind.
The action was moving swiftly from one end of the field to the other basketball style and two minutes later Sears forced Silvestri to save from the edge of the area.
Within a minute, Town threatened again when a short corner on the left was played to Kevin Bru and his cross whipped across the six-yard area but with no one able to add a final touch.
Bru forced Silvestri into a save down to his left from 25 yards out on the right in the 22nd minute with the Blues by now presenting the greater threat.
On 28 Fraser dug out a pass to Daryl Murphy from the right and the Irishman turned and hit a powerful shot which Silvestri somewhat uncomfortably kept out.
The Blues continued to put the visitors under pressure but without testing Silvestri further. Bru shot wide from well out on the left in the 35th minute, while Chambers again claimed a penalty after he was caught as he looked to get on the ball earlier in the move, but again referee Graham wasn’t interested.
Town continued to dominate, passing the ball around confidently and keeping possession comfortably and on 41 Jonas Knudsen whipped over a dangerous cross which was headed away in front of Douglas.
Two minutes before the scheduled end of the half Silvestri, who had struggled with his kicking all half, required treatment from the Leeds physio.
The keeper was deemed OK to carry on and a minute later was called into action again when Murphy laid a ball into feet off to Fraser on the left of the box and the Scotland U21 international cut in and hit a shot which the Italian did well to tip over.
Moments before the break Fraser whipped over another cross from the left but without being able to create the opportunity which would see the Blues get back on terms.
Having been caught cold for the very early goal, the game was a scrappy end to end affair for the first 20 minutes or so before Town began to take control.
Leeds, who might well have increased their lead during the opening spell, rarely threatened the nearer the game got to the break, while Town forced Silvestri to make saves on a number of occasions and had deserved to have got themselves back on terms.
Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Douglas, Fraser, Bru, Sears, Murphy. Subs: Bialkowski, Malarczyk, Hyam, Maitland-Niles, Oar, Varney, Pitman.
Leeds: Silvestri, Wootton, Bellusci, Cooper (c), Taylor, Byram, Bridcutt, Mowatt, Cook, Carayol, Doukara. Subs: Peacock-Farrell, Coyle, Bamba, Phillips, Murphy, Dallas, Antenucci. Referee: Fred Graham (Stanford-le-Hope).