Leeds United 5 Crewe Alexandra 2: McAllister enjoys stunning view of Delph

Kevin Keegan might not have cared to have Dennis Wise picking his players but the former Newcastle manager could surely have had no quarrel with his director of football's judgment over Fabian Delph.

Delph was one of a trio of Leeds United teenagers Wise wanted to bring to St James' Park and would have doubtless been offered attractive inducements to move to the north-east had he not committed himself to a future at Elland Road the day after Keegan decided to leave Wise to it on Tyneside.

Yesterday, the Bradford-born 18-year-old showed why Wise had kept track of his progress since he quit the manager's job at Leeds last January, playing a key role in a romp for Gary McAllister's team with a performance in midfield that displayed maturity beyond his years.

The England youth international, making only his second start in a league match, put himself constantly at the heart of the action with his intelligent positional play and his teammates were more than willing to give him the ball.

With good reason. Few passes missed their target, whether over short distances or long. "Already there is nothing much I need to tell him about controlling the ball and passing it," McAllister said. "He is a good footballer. It is just a matter now of drip feeding him information to add little bits to his game."

Indeed, encouraged by McAllister to "have a pop at goal" he enhanced his repertoire straight away, setting the tone for an impressive but all-too-easy Leeds victory by scoring the opening goal - his first in senior football - after 26 minutes, beating goalkeeper Steve Collis with a low, 25-yard shot that skimmed off the turf before going in off the right-hand post.

Leeds never looked back, glorifying in an oasis of rare sunshine at Elland Road to light up the afternoon with five high-quality goals. Their attacks led by the impressive but unlucky Luciano Becchio, they could have scored eight, although that might have been seen as greedy.

As it was, always given too much room as Crewe sought to play constructive football but neglected basic defending, Leeds hit a second after 36 minutes as Collis was beaten again by another long-range shot, this time from left back Alan Sheehan, a fine strike but one that was trumped four minutes into the second half, as Jonathan Douglas drilled the ball hard and low into the bottom left-hand corner from easily 30 yards.

Next on target was Beckford, who headed home at the near post from a superb cross by substitute Andrew Robinson, who himself took the Leeds tally to five with a magnificent right-foot curler from the left flank.

Thus Leeds completed a performance which - had it not been for a stoppage time red card for Lubomir Michalek - for a second bookable offence - and two subsequent consolation goals for Crewe - from Billy Jones and Eugen Bopp - would have been almost perfect.

It has not been a perfect start to the season - this was only their second win in five matches and their first in three at home -- but on the evidence here, Leeds can look towards promotion with some confidence. Crewe, on the other hand, clearly have much work to do.

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