Beckford 19

The FA Cup third round finally produced a shock, and a big one, when Manchester United exited at this stage for the first time under Sir Alex Ferguson, to League One pacesetters Leeds United.

Jermaine Beckford was the goalscoring hero. And while goalkeeper Casper Ankergren was just as heroic, there was no doubt that Simon Grayson’s side deserved the win - only in stoppage time did the EPL champions lay siege to Leeds goal.

Manchester United’s problems began when Nemanja Vidic was withdrawn in favour of Wes Brown during the warm-up - Brown having a particularly torrid afternoon.

In an atmosphere augmented by 9,000 vociferous Leeds fans, both sides tackled and closed down ferociously.

But on 19 minutes Beckford latched onto a long ball by Johnny Howson and rolled his left-foot shot home from an increasingly narrow angle as the out-of-position Brown and hesitant keeper Tomasz Kuszczak closed in.

Ankergren blocked a Wayne Rooney effort as the striker broke clear on 24 minutes. And although the ball rebounded goalwards, Jason Crowe motored back to clear it off the line.

The expected second half onslaught from the hosts never materialised until Ryan Giggs, Antonio Valencia and Michael Owen came off the bench.

Ankergren had blocked Danny Wellbeck’s right-foot drive on 50 minutes. But it wasn’t until the 70^th minute that Leeds were put under concerted pressure.

Valencia set up chances for Owen and Rooney, Owen missing his kick and Rooney missing the crossbar by yards.

But Beckford nearly made it 2-0 on 77 minutes, his right-foot shot flying inches wide of Kuszczak’s right-hand post.

And influential substitute Robert Snodgrass struck the post with a 20-yard free-kick three minutes later.

In stoppage time, Michael Owen headed narrowly wide and Rooney brought another fine stop from Ankergren, which set up an almighty goalmouth scramble.

But there weren’t enough of these, and Leeds deservedly produced the shock of the round.