For those familiar with Elland Road, it was a new vantage point for the travelling Addicks.

Instead of being housed in the South East quadrant, they were in the upper tier of the West Stand. Very salubrious with carpeted stairs and easy access to the seating area.

The 400 or so Charlton fans included a svelte looking Rob Elliot, who drove down from Newcastle. I was fortunate to enough to spend a few minutes with Rob who is clearly loving his time at Newcastle.

Chris Powell was bold and made the changes many have been clamouring for, Cedric Evina started at left-back and added pace as well as natural balance to the back line.

Chris Solly reverted to right-back, allowing Wilson to move forward with Dorian Dervite drafted in as a shield in front of the back-four. Rob Hulse was the lone front man on his return to one of his former stomping grounds.

Powell suffered every manager’s worst nightmare when his carefully prepared game plan was disrupted a few minutes before the start. Dale Stephens came in from the warm up to report a tight hamstring. Bradley Pritchard replaced Stephens, with Callum Harriott added to the bench. Two other youngsters, Ade Azeez and Bradley Jordan, also travelled and took part in the pre-match warm up.

The 17,484 crowd meant there were big gaps in the stands and the atmosphere was not the usual lively, vibrant one associated with Elland Road.

Charlton started brightly and had a number of chances in the opening period. Leon Cort headed a Johnnie Jackson free-kick wide and Cort later headed a right-wing corner against the underside of the bar. Dorian Dervite also had an effort that went well wide of Paddy Kenny’s right-hand post but he was to make up for that later.

The only goal of the half went to Leeds though. The Addicks protested that Leon Cort was pushed in the build up to the goal but they were waved away. David Norris fired into the bottom left hand corner of Ben Hamer’s goal from just inside the area. Watching the replay of the incident at half-time, the referee may have got the decision right.

Powell’s half-time talk had the desired effect as the visitors levelled four minutes after the restart. Hulse won the ball, fed Wilson who teed up Dervite, to beat Kenny from outside the area with the aid of a couple of deflections. The goal was richly deserved.

Wilson, a real threat all night, drove to the byline and pulled the ball back for Salim Kerkar who narrowly failed to convert just past the hour mark.

Neil Warnock had seen enough and made a double substitution, introducing Michael Tonge and Aidy White to the action.

Powell did not make his first change until the 86th minute when Bradley Wright-Phillips replaced Rob Hulse. Hulse went off to a standing ovation from the entire stadium, the Leeds fans warmly appreciating what he had previously contributed to their cause.

Wright-Phillips again met his nemesis, he was foiled this time by Kenny, when preaented with a one-on-one opportunity. The striker had time for another effort which drew a breathtaking save from Paddy Kenny.

A terrific night’s work from the Addicks and they will feel they done enough to warrant all three points. Hulse was superb as the lone striker, Pritchard’s energy was unbelievable and Wilson and Kerkar were potent threats in the wide areas.

Powell’s team will head for Molinuex in good spirits.

Charlton Athletic: Hamer; Solly, Cort, Morrison, Evina; Wilson, Dervite, Jackson, Pritchard, Kerkar (Hollands 90); Hulse (Wright-Phillips 86).

Subs (not used): Button, Green, Harriott, Cook, Razak.

Goal: Dervite 49.

Leeds United: Kenny; Byram, Lees, Pearce, Drury; Green (White 64), Brown, Norris, Varney (Tonge 64); Diouf, Becchio (Gray 77).

Subs (not used): Ashdown, Kisnorbo, Pugh, Hall.

Goal: Norris 36.

Referee: Nigel Miller (County Durham).

Attn: 17,484.