REPLICA shirts bearing Richard Cresswell's name are becoming the latest fashion item at Elland Road.

Leeds United fans have taken to the former York City striker whose two-goal salvo in Saturday's 3-0 home win over Sheffield Wednesday keeps the Whites firmly at the head of the Championship play-off pack.

Letter for letter he may be more expensive than a Hulse, Healy or Blake in the shirt stakes, but Leeds fans love his never-say-die attitude which has brought him six goals in 11 starts.

Such is the fight for places up front that Cresswell was only guaranteed his starting place on Saturday because Rob Hulse was suspended.

For much of the game against the Owls he came off second best to marker Graham Coughlan, but he never stopped running and battling.

His persistence eventually paid off when he flung himself at a Gary Kelly corner in the 81st minute to bury a spectacular diving header to put Leeds 2-0 up.

Then, in the dying minutes Cresswell got on the end of a cross from the left from substitute Simon Walton to knock in his second goal against his former club.

Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell paid tribute to his two-goal star, saying: "That's the dream for everyone - to play against your old club and be man of the match with a couple of goals.

"The three points were vital and I felt we looked a good strong team today and showed no tiredness from the Wigan game on Tuesday. I thought 3-0 was a fair result and am pleased with the attitude of the players."

It was a tribute to Leeds' fitness that they still had the legs to finish off Wednesday late on despite the tough midweek extra-time FA Cup battle against Wigan.

Owls boss Paul Sturrock came with a plan to frustrate Leeds and the game looked like heading towards a goal-less derby draw in front of Elland Road's biggest crowd of the season.

But just as Leeds were running out of ideas, skipper Paul Butler nodded home on 72 minutes after Jonathan Douglas did well to loop the ball back into the box from the by-line on the right to unlock the Wednesday rearguard.

The visitors belatedly showed some attacking intent but Leeds finished on the front foot with Cresswell's two-goal blast at the end.

On paper United appeared to have a central defence which could have been unhinged by pace, but Wednesday never really threatened, giving Butler and the re-called Sean Gregan a relatively comfortable afternoon.

Leeds are next in Championship action at Ipswich a week tomorrow - but who plays up front is anyone's guess. David Healy netted twice in the Wigan game, but could only make the bench against the Owls.

Leeds match facts

Coca-Cola Championship

Leeds United 3,

Sheffield Wednesday 0

(at Elland Road)

Leeds United: Sullivan, Kelly, Butler, Gregan, Crainey, Derry, Miller (Walton 83), Douglas, Lewis, Blake (Healy 62), Cresswell. Subs not used: Bennett, Pugh, Einarsson. Caution: Gregan. Goals: Butler 70, Cresswell 81, 89.

Sheffield Wednesday: Weaver, Simek, Coughlan, Wood, Gilbert, O'Brien, Whelan (Partridge 75), Hills, Brunt, Burton. Tudgay (Corr 75). Subs not used: Luca, Bullen, Collins. Caution: Simek.

Referee: Dermot Gallagher (Banbury)

Attendance: 27,833

Leeds to be without York-born defender

Leeds United have suffered a blow with news that in-form centre-back Matthew Kilgallon will be out for up to eight weeks with knee ligament and hamstring damage.

York-born Kilgallon was injured in the midweek FA Cup replay against Wigan and missed Saturday's win over Sheffield Wednesday. His continued absence is expected to provide a run in the side for the experienced Sean Gregan, who made his first appearance since December 10 on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Richard Cresswell revealed the conversation with referee Dermot Gallagher that paved the way for the first of his two goals in the win over one of his old clubs, Wednesday.

The former York City striker told Gallagher that Owls defender Richard Wood had suffered a cut which needed treatment. And it was while Wood was off the field that Cresswell headed in Gary Kelly's 81st minute corner, just 12 minutes after skipper Paul Butler had broken the stalemate.

Cresswell added his second of the match in the final minute, leaving his mother, a staunch Wednesday fan, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Updated: 10:20 Monday, January 23, 2006