FOR TWO HOURS YESTERDAY, masochistic supporters of Leeds United — and you would have to be, really — were luxuriating in a whole new realm of mediocrity. Courtesy of Brighton & Hove Albion’s lunchtime victory over Gillingham, Leeds briefly slumped to 20th place in the Coca-Cola Championship, a position that harassed officials were convinced represented the worst in their history.

It was difficult to mount a convincing argument for an imminent reversal of fortunes. The crowd that crammed into the Stadium of Light was the second-biggest in the country, the largest in the division this season and Sunderland had another opportunity to claim league leadership for the first occasion since their relegation from the Premiership.

And yet it was an afternoon when the formbook was overturned, expectations ruined and if either team was more true to its inner nature then it was Mick McCarthy’s, who comprehensively failed to seize a beckoning moment. They have done it before. “We’re as bad as each other,” the Sunderland manager said of the clubs jostling together at the head of the table. “It’s a wake-up call.” Ipswich Town and Wigan Athletic also lost.

With Kevin Blackwell’s resources “tested to the limit”, Leeds took the lead through Aaron Lennon, lost it with a harsh penalty, grasped it back, extended it and held on manfully as Sunderland ploughed forward. “That took great tenacity,” Blackwell said. “This is a very intimidating place to come, but we coped with it well.”

A second win in eight matches should provide breathing space for Leeds, even if Scott Carson, their England Under-21 goalkeeper, is expected to join Liverpool for £1 million. By Blackwell’s reckoning, four of his squad were 18 years or under. “The match programme put it eloquently when it said there’s only player left at Leeds — Gary Kelly,” he said. “We’re going through a massive transformation and we mustn’t burn the youngsters out.”

Immature heads did well to remain calm, because Richard Beeby is not a preferred referee. Having dismissed two Leeds players in the match away to Brighton — “he looked as though he wanted to carry on the ruck,” the manager said — the official fell further out of favour. Sunderland had dominated possession but were groping for inspiration when Matthew Spring was judged to have fouled Dean Whitehead shortly before half-time. A penalty was awarded by Beeby and converted by Liam Lawrence. “Very, very, very, very, very, very, very dubious,” Blackwell said. “That’s seven verys. Make it eight for luck. I just don’t know where he got it from, to be honest.”

Lawrence had provided McCarthy’s team with their most potent outlet, but they lacked penetration. At the back, their distribution was appalling and, on the break, Leeds enjoyed moments of clarity with Lennon and David Healy always lively up front.

It was Healy who played Lennon in on the half-hour to round Gary Breen and score with a curling shot. Healy was also instrumental in the second Leeds goal in the 61st minute, flighting the ball towards the area, where George McCartney was slow to react and Brian Deane, unattended, headed beyond Thomas Myhre.

Julio Arca thrashed a shot against the post, but Sunderland’s response was ineffectual until the meaning was limited. By the time Arca spun a fine free kick past Neil Sullivan, the ground had emptied and belief dissipated, because Julian Joachim, who had replaced Lennon, had met a cross from Jermaine Wright five minutes earlier and driven in a flashing effort.

Two years previously, this had been a top-flight fixture, Kevin Phillips had been playing for Sunderland and Leeds emerged with a 2-1 victory. Their team included Alan Smith, Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell. It was an intimation of how far both have fallen, but — in psychological terms — it might have been worse for the visiting team. “Two great clubs and a Premier League atmosphere,” Blackwell said. “That’s what we’ve got to aspire to.”