PETER REID made a sorry return to Elland Road when his Coventry City side were humbled 3-0 by Leeds United.

Reid was warmly applauded by the Leeds fans on his first appearance here since he was sacked last November, but his new side failed to make it a rewarding homecoming.

On the field, sentimentality evaporated and Leeds broke 40 minutes of stalemate with a goal from centre-back Clarke Carlisle. Danny Pugh was fouled by Coventry’s Louis Carey, a crude tackle which earned him a booking. Jermaine Wright floated the free kick to the far post, where Carlisle rose unchallenged to direct a looping header over Scott Shearer and into the far corner of the net. Two minutes later, Leeds might have extended their lead but Julian Joachim failed to meet a Pugh pull-back with an empty net at his mercy.

Until then, the Coventry defence had rarely looked troubled, with Dean Leacock, on loan from Fulham, making an assured debut.

The visitors had looked the more likely to break the deadlock. With summer signing Tim Sherwood orchestrating most of their moves, Coventry were the more composed of the sides.

Coventry began the second half in search of an equaliser, and Carey, released by a smartly-taken Sherwood free kick, forced Sullivan to make a low, diving save.

At the other end, Leeds skipper Paul Butler headed down and wide from a floating corner by Wright, and Joachim was also guilty of heading past the post from a Frazer Richardson cross when he should have forced a save.

But Joachim, who joined Leeds from Coventry in the summer on a free transfer, extended the home side’s lead after 71 minutes. Brian Deane crossed and Shearer made a point-blank save from a powerful Wright header. But the keeper spilled the ball and Joachim swept the rebound into the net from five yards.

Suddenly two goals down, Coventry found themselves a man down when Carey was sent off for a second bookable offence in fouling Danny Pugh from behind.

In the last minute, Leeds added a third goal, caused by a blunder by Shearer in the Coventry goal. Wright hit a low left-foot shot which bobbled in front of the keeper and he could only palm it into the path of Pugh, racing goalwards.

For Leeds, who had gone four League games without a win, this was a welcome return to winning ways, although the final scoreline flattered them.

In truth, neither side showed the class required to indicate they might challenge to return to the top flight. Joachim, however, thinks Leeds are one of a host of sides capable of mounting a promotion bid in a tightly-fought Championship.

“This is a very tight division where any side is capable of beating any other. But once we start performing to our capabilities, I think we will have a great chance,” the former Coventry striker said.

STAR MAN: Clarke Carlisle (Leeds United)

Player ratings. Leeds United: Sullivan 7, Kelly 6, Crainey 6, Carlisle 8, Butler 7; Richardson 6, Wright 7, Walton 6, Pugh 6; Joachim 7 (Ricketts 90min, 5), Deane 6 (McMaster 85min, 5)

Coventry City: Shearer 5; Carey 5, Leacock 7, Shaw 6, Staunton 6 (Barrett 79min, 6); Morrell 6, Sherwood 7, Doyle 6, Hughes 6, Wood 6 (Whing 79min, 5); Johnson 5 (Suffo h-t, 6)

Scorers: Leeds United: Carlisle 40, Joachim 71, Richardson 90

Referee: P Robinson

Attendance: 26,725

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