With fellow top-flight exiles Wolves not playing until tomorrow, Leeds pointed to happier times ahead for their supporters by beating Derby 1-0 in the first game of the day.

Frazer Richardson netted the only goal of the match which kicked off at lunchtime at Elland Road.

Derby hit a post in stoppage time but Kevin Blackwell’s Leeds side deserved the victory with a performance which will have lifted hopes in West Yorkshire.

However, Leicester’s ambitions took a knock as they could only draw 0-0 at home to West Ham.

Dion Dublin’s sending-off reduced the Foxes to 10 men against West Ham after just 18 minutes at the Walkers Stadium.

The former England international, a summer signing from Aston Villa, left his team short for most of the game after he was red-carded for violent conduct.

The Foxes were spared a home defeat as West Ham failed to make their extra man count before Rufus Brevett’s late sending-off with a second yellow card evened the sides.

Steve Cotterill saw Burnley draw 1-1 in his first competitive match in charge with Andy Gray scoring the equaliser for Sheffield United after 52 minutes.

The Blades, who will hope to chase promotion once again this season, fell behind when Micah Hyde gave Burnley the lead after 16 minutes.

Dean Bowditch scored the winner for Ipswich inside the first minute of the second half as they came back from a goal down to beat Gillingham 2-1.

Paul Smith put the Kent side in front 24 minutes in but Richard Naylor equalised for the home side 11 minutes later.

Brighton’s first goal of the new season was scored by Maheta Molango, who put the visitors ahead at Reading after just 19 seconds.

However, the south coast side were son pegged back with Reading levelling through Dave Kitson two minutes in.

And the Royals secured a 3-2 victory thanks to goals from James Harper (41) and Nicky Forster (59) although Jake Robinson had the last word for Brighton as he netted in the 63rd minute.

QPR drew 1-1 with Rotherham. The Londoners, who won promotion to England’s second tier last season, struck first with Gareth Ainsworth netting in the fifth minute only for the Yorkshire side to cancel out their lead through Paul Shaw 10 minutes later.

A late equaliser denied Cardiff a win at Crewe with Michael Higdon earning a 2-2 draw for the Railwaymen with an 85th-minute goal.

Cardiff had fought back from a goal down to lead 2-1 with Alan Lee scoring after 59 minutes.

Dean Ashton had put Crewe ahead with a fifth-minute penalty only for John Robinson to level for the Welsh side just before the break

Scotland international Paul Devlin scored an equaliser but gave away a penalty as Watford lost 2-1 at Preston.

The former Birmingham midfielder levelled the scores two minutes into the second half after Richard Cresswell had scored for the home side 34 minutes in.

However, Devlin then tripped USA international Eddie Lewis and David Healy converted the spot-kick in the 77th minute.

Nottingham Forest took a 1-1 draw from their visit to Wigan with Gareth Taylor’s 55th-minute effort cancelling out Lee McCulloch’s 38th-minute opener.

Plymouth earned a scoreless draw from their first game in the division, holding Millwall at Home Park.