LEEDS United boss Neil Redfearn will use the international break to drive home his football philosophy to his squad.

For half the game against Championship basement side Blackpool on Saturday the Whites played with the intensity the new coach demands Leeds got their first win in nine games as they beat the visitors 3-1 on the back of a blistering first 45 minutes at Elland Road.

“I thought we were excellent in the first half, some of the movement and the passing was different class,” said Redfearn, who secured his first victory since becoming the permanent man in charge.

Leeds swarmed all over the Seasiders from the off and were rewarded when Liam Cooper’s thumping volley sped past Joe Lewis on seven minutes.

That spectacular effort was topped by a magnificent team goal just after the half hour when one-touch passing from one end of the pitch to the other ended with Souleymane Doukara sweeping home.

Blackpool boss Lee Clark had already changed his formation, sending on Jamie O’Hara for Andre Blackman, but could not break United’s stranglehold.

With classy teenager Lewis Cook directing traffic, Leeds poured forward at will and Mirco Antenucci celebrated the arrival of his baby daughter on the eve of the match by firing in the third just before half-time.

Leeds could not sustain their excellence and had to scrap hard in the second half after Clark added the physical presence of striker Nile Ranger who headed a 75th-minute consolation.

Redfearn said: “The second half was a damp squib but the result was the main thing and that came off the back of a good first half.”

Leeds United: Silvestri, Byram, Pearce, Cooper, Warnock, Bianchi (Tonge 70), Cook, Mowatt, Adryan (Austin 63), Doukara, Antenucci (Sharp 89). Subs (not used): Taylor, Beradi, Dawson, Del Fabro.

Blackpool: Lewis, Lenihan, Daniels, Clarke, Dunne, Murphy, Lundstram (Mellis 69), Perkins, Orlandi (Ranger HT), Blackman (O’Hara 16), Miller. Subs: Cywka, Zoko, Delfounesco, Parish.

Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire).

Attendance: 23,846.