What a great way for Town to mark their 2,000th home Football League match.

And how fitting that the man to clinch win number 1,027 on Huddersfield turf should be a homegrown hero.

Academy product Jon Stead, whose sale to Blackburn in February 2004 yielded a vital �1.25m at a time when Town were emerging from some of the club’s darkest days, has had to be patient since returning this summer.

First an injury in pre-season, then difficulty in forcing his way into the side as goal-getter James Vaughan stole the headlines.

With Vaughan starting a three-match ban after his red card at Leicester, Stead was the striker to get the nod, as Mark Robins left out Martin Paterson and ex-Leeds midfielder Adam Clayton amid rumours of a training-ground bust-up between the pair.

Robins also dropped centre-back Anthony Gerrard – none of the three were even in the matchday 18 – as he made four changes to his starting side, with Jazz Richards returning from injury, Keith Southern adding experience to the midfield and Duane Holmes earning a full debut after four bright appearances from the bench.

Big calls on a big day as Town chased their first win in six Championship games, and their fifth victory in the last nine meetings with Leeds.

Things started badly, with former Oldham frontman Matt Smith using his 6ft 6in frame to good effect, first to win a corner, then to head home from Alex Mowatt’s flag kick with just 80 seconds on the clock.

Leeds were already on a high after their 4-0 destruction of Birmingham, but Town weren’t ready to buckle, with a beautifully-worked corner routine bringing a ninth-minute response, as Danny Ward popped up in plenty of space to lash home Adam Hammill’s delivery to the edge of the area – clearly expected by his teammate but not the visitors.

Both Town’s wide boys thrived, with Ward, who now has two for the season, foraging with confidence and Hammill causing all kinds of problems with his deft footwork.

It was Hammill’s deep delivery from the left which prised the headed own goal by defender Tom Lees which gave Town a 62nd-minute lead, but Brian McDermott’s side weren’t finished.

They had just had a short spell in command, midfielder Luke Murphy shooting wide from six yards with the goal gaping, and levelled in the 73rd minute through Dexter Blackstock.

Just on as a substitute, the newly-acquired Nottingham Forest loan man headed home with his first touch for Leeds.

It looked like Blackstock might be the name in the headlines, with Town left to rue a free-kick needlessly given away by Joel Lynch for a foul on Rudy Austin and well delivered by Mowatt, like Town’s Holmes, just 18.

But Stead, who had fluffed a very acceptable chance to put Town 3-1 up when he rounded Paddy Kenny but pulled his angled shot into the side netting, had other ideas.

With 13 minutes to go, he turned back the years as he turned onto a cross from surging substitute Sean Scannell to drive the ball low past Paddy Kenny and spark pandemonium in the three home stands. Oh, happy day!

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Run of the ball

2mins: It’s a shocking start for Town as big striker Matt Smith first wins a corner, then rises to head home Alex Mowatt’s flag kick.

9mins: Town respond with a well-worked goal from another corner, won by Keith Southern. Adam Hammill plays a deep delivery to the unmarked Danny Ward, who drills the ball home.

18mins: Leeds frontman Ross McCormack cuts in but shoots wide.

19mins: After good build-up play by Hammill and Jon Stead, Ward’s shot is blocked

30mins: Stead frees full debutant Duane Holmes, but Jason Pearce gets in sharply to challenge.

31mins: Ward’s in-swinging free-kick is punched clear by Paddy Kenny.

33mins: Hammill has a shot tipped over.

35mins: Holmes has a shot blocked.

39mins: Ward stabs a shot narrowly wide after Hammill’s corner is only partially cleared.

56mins: Jazz Richards plays a neat cross to Ward, but the header goes wide.

59mins: Leeds man Smith puts a low shot narrowly off target.

60mins: Town have a big let-off when Luke Murphy shoots wide from six yards out with the goal gaping.

61mins: Rudy Austin shoots wide.

62mins: Town are back in front after centre-back Tom Lees can only head Hammill’s deep delivery into his own net.

63mins: Town have a top opportunity to go two up, but having taken the ball around Kenny, Stead steers his angled shot into the side-netting.

73mins: Leeds level through on-loan Nottingham Forest striker Dexter Blackstock. Just on as a substitute, he heads home with his first touch from Mowatt’s free-kick.

77mins: Stead raises the roof when he turns onto substitute Sean Scannell’s pass and shoots home.

86mins: There’s a late scare for Town, but Smith puts his header wide.