Manager Kevin Blackwell has warned Leeds United and their supporters not to get carried away by the 4-2 win at Preston, which ended a run of four defeats.

It was the first time Leeds had scored four times in a match since their 4-1 home victory over Wolves in the Premiership in February with goals from Alan Smith, Dominic Matteo, James Milner and Mark Viduka - all since moved on in big-money transfers.

The last time Leeds scored four goals or more away from home was a 6-1 romp at Charlton in April, 2003 when Viduka grabbed a hat-trick, Harry Kewell scored twice and Ian Harte netted from the penalty spot.

Although Blackwell was naturally delighted he warned: "As soon as you think you havecracked it, someone will smack you in the mouth.

"We need time and there will be undulations in performances."

Blackwell also ventured that he was considering resting some of his younmger players.

"I don't want to play too many young players in the team at the same time," he said.

"I need to take some of them out of the firing line because I don't want to destroy their future. Expectations at this club are so high that they can eat up a young player's career.

"It can be a merciless sport and I've asked a lot from them already this season."

Meanwhile, Leeds could be among the first clubs to take advantage of UEFA's ruling lifting the restrictions on artificial pitches.

Such a move would open up Elland Road to far more extensive use as a sports arena as well as allowing the staging a whole raft of events, including big-name concerts, which would vastly increase revenue.

Football authorities feel that plastic pitches have improved beyond all recognition from the days when QPR first tried them in the early 1980s and a recent comment from Leeds' chief operating officer Shaun Harvey suggests they are already thinking along those lines.

He said: "Technology has moved on at such a speed that if the regulations change, we'd have to consider the additional revenue streams that could be generated."

Updated: 10:38 Thursday, November 11, 2004