Leeds United got 2013/14 off to a flying start with a win over a highly rated Brighton side, Luke Murphy sealed the triumphant comeback with a controversial stoppage time winner and we were grateful for some terrific keeping at the other end from Paddy Kenny.

On parking up a good hour before kick-off, I was amazed to see the streets round Elland Road packed and judging by some of the old replica shirts on display, some of the wearers probably had not been to LS11 for some time, indeed the 33432 who turned up made it the biggest opening day home crowd Leeds had seen since we faced Newcastle United in the opener of the fateful 2003/04 campaign.

But rather than it be a time to turn on the stayaways, the message was very simple "We Are United". An already bubbling crowd, who started in good voice around 15 minutes before kick-off finally laid the hated Bates era to rest with "The Chelsea b*****d he's out of our club"

Another missing member of the Bridge Blue Boys Old Brigade was Gus Poyet, Oscar Garcia a former Barcelona player taking the former Leeds Assistant Bosses' place in the away dug-out the Uruguayan occupied just 98 days earlier. Leeds made just two changes to the side that lost 2-1 to the Seagulls of the penultimate day of last season, Diouf and Austin were of course red-carded on that day and sat out suspended.

It gave us chance to see two of our three new boys and without a doubt Luke Murphy was far more eye-catching than Noel Hunt, who tried hard but rarely saw the end product match his efforts.

Brighton kept their cool in the white-hot atmosphere and were rewarded with their neat stroking of the ball when on 13 minutes, Ulloa put them one nil up at the Kop End. Slipping in between Warnock and Lees, he slipped in to hook a shot past Kenny. He then proceeded to gleefully cavort in front of Kop then cross himself repeatedly, probably more times than watching Scotland boss, former Leeds hero and Celtic manager Gordon Strachan ever saw during his days at Parkhead!

I'd bumped into Strachan before the game in the West Stand Car Park and asked if he had come to see Ross McCormack, his reply was typically coy and typically witty Strachan "I'm here to watch good players!" he told me before happily posing for a photo with me and my sons!

Whether or not McCormack was aware Strachan was enjoying a watching brief in the stadium he graced with so much glory on the early 90's remains to be seen but Wee Gord was surely impressed with the way he finished to put Leeds level just six minutes later smashing home Murphy's knock down from distance past Kuszak. McCormack almost ripped his own shirt off in delight at celebrating his opener.

The emergence of Murphy in stature had me sending a glowing report by text to a fellow Leeds sufferer that it was a novelty to see a Leeds midfielder under 30 never mind one who could put his foot on the ball, pass and have a go at goal, Murphy sending in two long range sizzling efforts before the half-ended.

I thought we did most of the running in the second-half, restricting Brighton to counter-attacks. It was heart-in-the-mouth time when Kenny made a fine double save at the foot of his right post from
Crofts then Calderon. However we did put them under lots of pressure without really creating any clear cut chances. Calderon dived all over the place, earning us at least three bookings.

When sub Poleon somehow managed to wriggle a chance wide, a draw looked likely. However with the visitors being forced back they still somehow looked fresh on the break and in stoppage time Kenny somehow managed to claw back Buckley's header from giving the visitors another late win on this ground.

The crowd found one last roar in their lungs and Murphy burst into the box to collect Matt Smith's flick on before watching Kuszak push his shot doubled handed into the back of the net. Elland Road erupted, Brighton claimed Murphy had handled in the build up and there was barely time to restart the game. The celebrations continued a good ten minutes after the final whistle and the Bates era ended how it began 8 1/2 years earlier with a 2-1 win over the Seagulls.

Photo: Action Images

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