LEEDS were fantastic.

For the first 28 seconds. In that time, a Mark Viduka-Alan Smith one-two in centre field and Smith's flashing finish on the run, shooting early under Shay Given's dive, revived fast-fading memories of last season's fruitful partnership in the UEFA Champions League.

Yet it was an increasingly vibrant, high-tempo and passionate Newcastle who topped the table - until the re-awoken Manchester United resumed normal service yesterday - after this exhilarating if coruscating summit meeting. For the fourth time in succession, they had come from behind to outwit Leeds.

Heartened by their 4-3 comeback triumph at Elland Road three weeks ago, and not perturbed by Smith's instant strike, Newcastle were immediately into the ascendancy, making light of a 'Stig Of The Dump' pitch.

Leeds went on the defensive, the returning Dominic Matteo and Seth Johnson stiffening the left flank, but this is now the offensive defensive. The gambolling, gambling football of Harry Kewell, Michael Bridges and Stephen McPhail of two seasons ago has made way for cynicism and spite, guile and style replaced by bile, typified by that truculent tornado Danny Mills.

The right back followed up an ill-advised Guardian interview about his bending the rules with an early arm in the mouth of Laurent Robert - unpunished - and a 70th-minute kick to the shin of pesky Craig Bellamy, rightly admonished with his second red card this season.

The bookings were mounting too, and so were the Newcastle goals, Michael Duberry's startled, startling headed own goal just before half-time giving Newcastle the momentum, picked up post-interval by the greyhound double act of Bellamy and Kieron Dyer.

Dyer, outplaying England World Cup squad rival Lee Bowyer in midfield, took Bellamy's chest-down in his stride for 2-1 on 60 minutes and, after Given curtailed Leeds' brief resurgence with a 77th-minute double save from Viduka and Smith, Dyer set Bellamy free of a floundering Duberry for 3-1 three minutes from time.

Cussed Leeds had found myriad ways into Mr Barber's black book - Duberry and Jonathan Woodgate for path-blocking fouls; David Batty, a lunge; Viduka for a stags' head-to-head with Nikos Dabizas; Wilcox, dissent, and Smith for being Smith. Add Mills putting the ass into football assassin and Leeds will be fined.

Cast aside Robbie Fowler's late withdrawal through a family bereavement, and the absence of seven injured internationals; ill discipline is costing David O'Leary's New Leeds just as it sullied Don Revie's old Leeds.

O'Leary refutes the fact his team are earning themselves a villainous reputation as he added: "I'm not worried about that.

"We're a good footballing side and we're competitive, although players have to show more responsibility, like Danny Mills should have done."

About Mill, O'Leary added: "I won't defend incidents like that involving Danny Mills. I was disappointed with his lack of discipline and the referee was right to send him off."

Updated: 12:09 Monday, January 14, 2002