Reid left needing one more win

Leeds dominated the proceedings after being gifted an eighth minute lead through an own-goal by central defender Jody Craddock, but the hosts were uncomfortable late in the game as substitute Patrick Mboma squandered a superb chance to level.

But United deservedly increased their lead seven minutes from time through substitute Robbie Keane, leaving Sunderland still looking for a victory to end niggling relegation fears.

Peter Reid's men, however, hardly deserved to end a sorry run at Elland Road - the last time they won a League game there was in 1961, as midfielder Lee Bowyer pressed his claims to a recall into the England squad with a superb, all-round performance.

Eriksson could not have failed to have been impressed with Bowyer - but once again Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips produced nothing out of the ordinary in front of the watching Swede before being substituted through injury at half time.

It was a disappointing performance by Sunderland after the fillip of a 2-1 home win over Leicester City on Easter Monday, and there was little for the travelling fans to cheer apart from a few close calls in near the end before the second goal.

Leeds were first to show their teeth, with David Batty bringing Thomas Sorensen to his knees with a sizzling 20-yarder in the third minute after a good build up involving Eirik Bakke on the left.

The blinding sunshine had the Danish keeper in difficulties in the next Leeds attack and he juggled uncomfortably with a high centre from Alan Smith on the right.

Sunderland went behind in the eighth minute through an own-goal from Craddock. Smith showed his speed to go past left back George McCartney to centre quickly and Craddock, trying to prevent Viduka reaching the ball, managed only to deflect it high into the net, leaving Sorensen totally helpless.

It was Craddock's second own-goal of the season, having put the ball into his own net in the 2-0 defeat at Southampton in December.

Sunderland, however, spurned a chance to equalise in the 12th minute when Niall Quinn, having chested down a ball from Kevin Phillips, wasn't quick enough to get in a shot under questionable pressure from fullback Danny Mills.

A neat dummy by Quinn set up a shooting chance on the edge of the box for Phillips, but he was not sharp enough to beat a challenge and Leeds looked more threatening as they swept forward for Smith to bring a goalline save from Sorensen with a hard, low angled shot.

Robbie Fowler, under pressure, scuffed a shot in the 18th minute after a great ball from Bowyer as Leeds, looking settled, pressed again on the left.

The England striker was not far away in the 21st minute when he fired a first-time half volley just over the bar from 12 yards after Bowyer cut the ball back.

Leeds had virtually taken charge of the proceedings and Fowler crashed another left-foot volley over the bar before narrowly failing to turn a shot home just inside the post in the 25th minute.

Phillips was offered a half chance as Dominic Matteo headed away from Quinn, but he drove his 22-yard low shot narrowly wide.

Claudio Reyna remonstrated with Bowyer for a reckless double-footed challenge, but referee Peter Jones, who had earlier booked Gavin McCann for a foul, was content to award a free kick.

Leeds looked badly done to when the offside flag was raised against the quickly-breaking Fowler, but he slammed his long-range shot well wide.

Sunderland were showing a willingness to go forward, but everything seemed to be pivoted round Phillips, who was finding space very hard to come by anywhere near the Leeds box.

Bowyer, popping up all over the pitch, again had the Sunderland defence in trouble, firing a low shot just wide in the 42nd minute, before Sorensen made a hash of a right-wing centre on the run from the over-lapping Mills.

Sunderland made an enforced change at the break when on-loan striker Patrick Mboma replaced Phillips - made captain in the absence of Michael Gray - who was suffering from a stomach strain.

The Cameroon international was quickly in action, slamming a wild shot high and wide after a chest down from Quinn.

United got a free-kick in a dangerous position to the right of goal after McCartney brought down Smith, but after a neat cut-back from Ian Harte, Bowyer saw his low shot deflected away by Quinn.

Sunderland still looked second best - and by a long way at that - against a Leeds side inspired by Bowyer, who dinked a lovely ball in the 56th minute for Smith, who was denied a shot by the quick-thinking McCartney.

Bowyer came close to getting his name on the scoresheet when he unleashed a curling 20-yard shot which was pushed wide by the diving Sorensen.

Leeds replaced Fowler with Republic of Ireland international Robbie Keane in the 61st minute, a purely tactical change as the home side tried to turn their undoubted superiority into goals.

Bowyer was booked in the 68th minute for a trip on Kilbane on the left before Reyna, Sunderland's best player, fired a long-range shot just wide in a rare flash of aggression.

Even though Sunderland had been outplayed for most of the game they were still trying to nick a goal, and a long, raking centre from Kilbane on the left had goalkeeper Nigel Martyn in trouble before Harte cleared off the line and then a full-blooded shot from McAteer was blocked as Leeds started to live dangerously.

There was an even closer call in the 74th minute when another centre from Kilbane just failed to find Quinn at the far post.

But it took a great save from Sorensen in the 76th minute to prevent Leeds getting a killer second goal, diving down to hold a hard, low shot from Bowyer.

Sunderland squandered a great chance to equalise in the 81st minute when Quinn headed on a centre from McCann straight into the path of Mboma, but he blasted over from 12 yards.

Leeds made sure of victory in the 83rd minute when Keane beat the Sunderland offside trap - McCartney played him onside - taking a slotted through ball from Viduka to beat Sorensen from eight yards.

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