Leeds 4 Crystal Palace 0
Crystal Palace's miserable start to the season continued as they were dumped out of the Carling Cup by Coca-Cola League One side Leeds at Elland Road.
Neil Warnock's men have struggled for form in the Championship so far this season, failing to win and score in their three games and the reasons why were evident here as they had no answer to a rampant Leeds performance.
Warnock has made no secret of his hunt for a new striker to bolster his flagging attack and he will have no doubt watched on enviously as the Leeds pairing of Luciano Becchio and Jermaine Beckford ran his side ragged for most of the night.
Both were joined on the scoresheet by Republic of Ireland midfielder Jonathan Douglas and Enoch Showunmi as the home side brushed off a couple of sub-standard showings in their last two league outings to secure their place in the third round.
With unsettled midfielder Ben Watson making his first appearance for the visitors, they started brightly with an effort from Kieron Djilali that stung David Lucas' palms, but Leeds soon took control and also the lead with their first real attack.
There appeared to be little danger when Beckford flicked on a long ball, but the Palace defence were slow to react and Douglas made them pay as he ran through to lob the advancing Darryl Flahavan.
It was Douglas' first goal of the season on his first start and a timely reminder to manager Gary McAllister of his abilities.
Palace hit back with a couple of snap shots from Johannes Ertl and Victor Moses but the pace and movement of Beckford was causing them serious problems and so it proved when he doubled Leeds' advantage just after the half-hour mark.
Flahavan had already denied him with two fine saves when the goal came, the second of which was a superb stop low to his left after Beckford had got on the end of a neat free-kick from Neil Kilkenny.
But from the resulting corner, the same duo linked up again and Beckford rose the highest to power a header beyond the keeper's reach.
Watson curled a free-kick straight at Lucas as Palace attempted to hit back but they were lucky not to go in further behind at the break as Fabian Delph, Becchio and Kilkenny all went close with long-range efforts.
The hosts continued in a similar vein at the start of the second period and were soon a further goal ahead as Becchio grabbed his second strike in as many games.
The Argentinean scored in the draw at Yeovil on Saturday and did so again here as he met Frazer Richardson's 52nd-minute cross with a strong header that went in via the fingertips of Flahavan and the post.
Becchio was soon replaced by Showunmi although Leeds did not lose any of their momentum and the latter should have added a fourth when he wasted a glorious chance, firing straight at Flahavan after Beckford had created an opportunity that was easier to convert.
The former Bristol City man did not have to wait too long to make amends though as he slid a curling shot through a crowd of players into the bottom corner with 14 minutes remaining, before spurning a chance for a fifth when over-running the ball after being sent clear.
PA Sport
