AFTER the trauma of losing to npower Championship leaders Southampton, Leeds United go to Hull and back for a tasty derby tonight.

The Whites head for the KC Stadium base of Hull City knowing that but for a run of ill-luck in front of goal they would have put the Saints to the sword on Saturday.

Instead, they suffered the bitter taste of defeat as their dominance failed to stem Southampton’s 1-0 win courtesy of a volley from the division’s leading marksman, 20-goal Ricky Lambert.

Saints boss Nigel Adkins said: “Fair play, Leeds have battered us, but we defended and had to grind out a result.

“It is a great three points for us because Leeds have done very well.”

Leeds manager Neil Warnock could not quite believe how his side had managed to lose, though veteran goalkeeper Kelvin Davies was a major contributory factor after he proved an outstanding last-man barrier to defy Warnock’s charges on his “first official” game in command at Elland Road since he replaced the sacked Simon Grayson.

“Football’s a cruel game sometimes and you don’t always get what you deserve, but I was pleased with what I saw,”

said Warnock.

“We showed a lot of commitment and we played some good football.”

Tonight’s derby duel pits Leeds against one of their former players, Nick Barmby, who is now in charge of the Tigers after the departure of manager Nigel Pearson for fellow promotion rivals Leicester City.

Since his elevation to the job Barmby has proved an astute operator, keeping the Humberside outfit on the fringes of the promotion race three points better off than tonight’s visitors.