KEN BATES has initiated a considerable price hike for the privilege of watching football at Elland Road next season. Much more of what they witnessed last night and the Leeds United chairman will be paying potential clients their entrance fee after Sheffield United secured a bloodless Yorkshire derby victory. In doing so, they inflicted the worst home defeat on their bitter rivals in three years, when a rampant Arsenal triumphed. How times have changed.

There were further poignant reminders at the ground as a minute’s silence commemorated the fifth anniversary of the two Leeds fans who were stabbed to death in Istanbul as their team competed in the semi-finals of the Uefa Cup against Galatasaray. But if the past is a combination of mixed emotions, the present remains gloomy and the future uncertain.

True, Kevin Blackwell, the Leeds manager, has achieved much with slender resources, but the limitations of his squad were exposed by their opponents. “We are moving in the right direction, but losing at home hurts. I have apologised to the fans on the radio because this was not good enough,” Blackwell said.

Sheffield United are an industriously modest unit, with players who have lingered long enough at this level to test better teams than Leeds. When Danny Webber, in his first start on loan from Watford, eased beyond two defenders and dashed inside the penalty area to score after 93 seconds, it was a portent of things to come.

By the time Andy Gray had lashed his second, in the 74th minute, Leeds were a thoroughly deflated and beaten bunch. Gray’s chance came after Neil Sullivan and Paul Butler collided in what might have been termed a comedy of errors, had not the Leeds captain swallowed his tongue and lapsed into unconsciousness. He was revived, carried off on a stretcher and taken to hospital. Team-mates indicated that he was stable as he left the field.

What was clear was that Sheffield United’s ambitions of reaching the play-offs were consolidated without making progress because the teams above them won. Two yards quicker to the ball and more telling with their distribution, the only surprise was how they failed to score more in the first half other than Nick Montgomery’s 30th-minute finish.

Rob Hulse raised hopes of a Leeds revival with a shot that rebounded off the crossbar, but Gray angled a crisp volley to make it 3-0 75 seconds after the interval.

LEEDS UNITED (4-4-1-1): N Sullivan — S Walton (sub: S Gregan, 38min), P Butler (sub: C Carlisle, 81), M Kilgallon, D Pugh — A Lennon, S Derry, Seth Johnson, M King (sub: I Moore, 52) — D Healy — R Hulse. Substitutes not used: G Einarsson, M Spring. Booked: Lennon, Johnson, Gregan, Hulse.

SHEFFIELD UNITED (4-4-2): P Kenny — R Kozluk, C Morgan, L Bromby, J Harley — A Quinn, N Montgomery, P Jagielka, MTonge (sub: D Geary, 46) — A Gray, D Webber (sub: S Kabba, 83). Substitutes not used: A Liddell, P Barnes, P Thirlwell. Booked: Bromby.

Referee: P Walton.