LEEDS United served notice that they intend to challenge for automatic promotion to the Premiership after a fourth successive victory lifted them to third in the table. Goals from David Healy and Matthew Kilgallon earned Leeds the points, though their second was much disputed by Leicester, whose defender Patrick McCarthy was sent off for abusive language towards the officials.

“We are now looking to catch Sheffield United,” Leeds head coach John Carver said. “When you put a run together the teams above you start to look over their shoulders and perhaps they are beginning to fear us.”

Carver said the club, and particularly its fans, would not be satisfied with a place in the playoffs. “We set our targets high,” he said. “ The fans want us to win the Championship and that is what we are looking to do.”

Leicester were entitled to feel aggrieved at failing to gain at least a point. They were insistent that Kilgallon was offside when he diverted a Robbie Blake shot past goalkeeper Rab Douglas. “I do not condone McCarthy’s actions but it was a disgraceful decision by the assistant referee. The player was standing right in front of the keeper,” Leicester manager Craig Levein said.

Twice in the first 10 minutes Leicester tested Neil Sullivan in the Leeds goal. The impressive youngster Ryan Smith, on loan from Arsenal, hit a rising shot that the keeper tipped over his crossbar, then Joey Gudjonsson stung Sullivan’s hands with a first-time shot. Leeds winger Eddie Lewis shaved the Leicester post before McCarthy sent a thumping header from a Smith corner against the bar on 23 minutes.

But Leeds broke the deadlock four minutes before half-time. Lewis touched a free kick to Healy and from 25 yards the Northern Ireland international placed his shot perfectly into the corner of the net past Douglas’s left hand. It was the striker’s eighth goal of the season. Five minutes after the interval Rob Hulse went close to extending the Yorkshire club’s lead but saw his header rebound off the bar with Douglas beaten.

Leicester scored the equaliser that their enterprising play merited after 69 minutes. Hulse brought down Gudjonsson inside the penalty area and the Icelandic midfielder coolly slotted the spot-kick past Sullivan. “It was a centre-forward’s tackle,” Carver said ruefully.

The visitors stayed on level terms for only four minutes before Kilgallon’s disputed matchwinner. Carver said he did not know if the centre-back was offside but added that Leeds should have had a first-half penalty for handball.

STAR MAN: Ryan Smith (Leicester)

Player ratings. Leeds: Sullivan 7, Kelly 7, Butler 6, Kilgallon 6, Harding 6, Miller 7, Walton 7 (Richardson 84min, 6), Lewis 8, Hulse 7, Blake 7 (Pugh 90min, 6), Healy 7 (Moore 90min, 6)

Leicester: Douglas 6, Stearman 6, Gerrbrand 7, McCarthy 5, Maybury 6, Sylla 7, Gudjonsson 7, Kisnorbo 6 (De Vries 81min, 6), Smith 8, Hume 7, Hammond 6 (Dublin 87min 6)

Scorers: Leeds: Healy 41, Kilgallon 73

Leicester: Gudjonsson 69 (pen) Referee: M Dean

Attendance: 21,402

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