Kemar Roofe’s 22nd minute goal has given Leeds United a 1-0 half-time lead over a much-changed Blues side at Elland Road.
Town boss Paul Hurst made seven changes to the team which lost 2-0 at home to QPR at the weekend with Bartosz Bialkowski, Jordan Spence, Jonas Knudsen, Flynn Downes, Tayo Edun, Jon Nolan and Kayden Jackson all starting.
Dean Gerken, Janoi Donacien, Trevoh Chalobah, Gwion Edwards, Grant Ward and Andre Dozzell all dropped to the bench, while Toto Nsiala was left out of the 18.
Ahead of Bialkowski in goal, Spence was at right-back, Knudsen at left-back with Matthew Pennington to the left of skipper Like Chambers at the centre of the defence.
Nolan was on the right of midfield with Edun on the left and Downes in the centre with Cole Skuse. Jackson started up front with Freddie Sears behind him.
Pablo Hernandez blazed an early shot over from distance after a Bialkowski kick had been closed down and deflected into the air by Roofe. On five, Nolan picked up an early yellow card for a foul on Samuel Saiz.
There was a big scare for the Blues in the 11th minute when Ezgjan Alioski’s low cross from the left was fumbled by Bialkowski but fortunately away from Hernandez and Chambers was able to clear.
Gaetano Berardi joined Nolan in the referee’s book in the 16th minute for a foul on Sears on the Blues’ left. From the freekick taken by Edun, Pennington headed into keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell’s arms at the far post.
On 19 Nolan scuffed wide from 20 yards with the Blues starting to make an impression going forward.
However, three minutes later the home side went in front. Hernandez whipped over a cross from the right which flew over Pennington to Roofe, whose header from six yards was too powerful for Bialkowski’s outstretched arm.
Having got in front, Leeds began to put the Blues under pressure but on 27 they were forced into a change when Berardi was replaced by Stuart Dallas.
Two minutes later, Hernandez cut the ball back to Saiz but his shot was blocked, then on 31 Downes was booked for a foul on Klich.
Alioski hit a cross-shot over from the left with the Whites well in control but without having come close to a second.
On 36, Luke Ayling’s shot was deflected over after Spence had cleared poorly from a corner, then from the subsequent flag-kick Downes flicked the ball over Bialkowski as the keeper looked to catch.
As the half moved into its final five minutes Town began to probe in the Leeds half but without threatening an equaliser.
Two minutes of injury time yielded no further chances at either end and the scoreline remained the same at the break.
Leeds deserved their lead having been in charge throughout and having created the game’s few opportunities.
Town hadn’t been as poor as they were against QPR and had been better defensively, but had rarely threatened with Pennington’s header from Edun’s freekick their only real chance.
Leeds: Peacock-Farrell, Ayling, Alioski, Cooper (c), Berardi (Dallas 27), Phillips, Klich, Harrison, Hernandez, Saiz, Roofe. Subs: Blackman, Forshaw, Roberts, Pearce, Baker, Clarke.
Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Pennington, Chambers (c), Skuse, Downes, Nolan, Edun, Sears, Jackson. Subs: Gerken, Donacien, Chalobah, Edwards, Ward, Dozzell, Lankester. Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire).