The Blues have a mountain to climb in the second half with Leeds United 3-0 in front at the break via home skipper Pascal Struijk’s early header, a Leif Davis own goal against his old club and Crysencio Summerville’s penalty just before the whistle.
Town boss Kieran McKenna made one change from the team which drew 2-2 at home with Norwich City last week with Axel Tuanzebe coming in for Luke Woolfenden.
Tuanzebe joined Cameron Burgess at the heart of the defence with Woolfenden dropping to the bench, where there was one further change with Dominic Ball coming in and Dane Scarlett left out of the 20.
Leeds named the same side as drew 1-1 at home to Coventry a week ago but with Ian Poveda and Junior Firpo replacing Jaidon Anthony and Luke Ayling among the subs.
The home side began the game on the front foot but on five Nathan Broadhead did well to find Wes Burns in space on the right but his cross was too long for George Hirst.
However, the Whites tool the lead in the eighth minute. A corner was whipped over from the left, Vaclav Hladky saved Joel Piroe’s header sharply down to his right but home skipper Struijk was there to nod into the empty net.
Town were unhappy with the goal as Conor Chaplin had appeared to have been fouled in the move ahead of the corner, referee Stephen Martin, the official who disallowed Marcus Harness’s goal at home to Barnsley last season, having waved away the forward’s protests.
With their crowd now in full voice, Leeds went looking for a second, counter-attacking after a Blues move had broken down before Dan James shot wide from an angle on the right of the box.
As the game passed the 20-minute mark, the Blues were struggling to get out of their own half with Leeds controlling the game and dominating.
However, on 23, the Blues put together a neatly-worked move from which Broadhead shot just wide of Leeds keeper Illan Meslier’s right post. Chaplin had been kicked up in the air in the build-up by Ethan Ampadu, referee Martin indicating he had played the advantage, with the Wales international fortunate to have avoided a yellow card.
But three minutes later, it was 2-0. Leeds broke with Town having too many men caught up field - again with a suspicion of a foul as the Blues lost the ball - and Summerville got round the outside of Harry Clarke on the left of the box and sent over a low cross which beat Burgess but struck former Leeds man Davis on the shin and bounced over the line.
Town went looking for the goal which would give them a foothold in the match and on 27 they went very close. Davis crossed from the left to Chaplin not far outside the area from where the Blues joint-top scorer struck a shot which beat Meslier to his left but hit the post and bounced away.
Two minutes later, Clarke was shown the game’s first yellow card after the ball caught his arm after it had bounced awkwardly to him as he looked to cut out a through ball for Summerville, who had been the home side’s biggest threat.
On 34, James joined the Town right-back in the book for a foul on Davis as the left-back was bursting from deep on the left.
The Blues’ and Davis’s half got even worse a minute before the scheduled end when the Whites went 3-0 in front via a penalty.
Summerville was played in on the left of the area and Davis upended the Dutch forward. Referee Martin had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and it looked the correct decision.
Summerville took the kick himself and sent it high into the roof of the net to Hladky’s right with the keeper moving to his left.
The half-time whistle was greeted enthusiastically by the home support with their side having dominated and all but won the match in the first half.
The Blues had never been able to get on top during the period with Leeds having got the early goal and then continued to control the game from there.
Davis was unfortunate with the own goal, but could have little complaint about the penalty.
Town, who have never lost a game by three goals under manager McKenna, have shown their ability to come back in games which have looked lost on numerous previous occasions, but it would be a huge ask to take anything from the match at this stage with Leeds having been well on top throughout and Town very much under par.
Leeds: Meslier, Gray, Spence, Struijk (c), Rodon, Ampadu, Kamara, James, Summerville, Rutter, Piroe. Subs: Darlow, Firpo, Cooper, Bamford, Poveda, Gnonto, Gelhardt, Gruev, Joseph.
Town: Hladky, Clarke, Tuanzebe, Burgess, Davis, Morsy (c), Luongo, Burns, Chaplin, Broadhead, Hirst. Subs: Walton, Williams, Woolfenden, Ball, Taylor, Hutchinson, Harness, Jackson, Ladapo. Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire).