Leeds United showed true fighting spirit coming back from two goals down at half-time to win 3-2 and send their 4,000 travelling fans home deliriously happy.

United who have made a habit of going behind before making a fight-back did so again in their 50th meeting with Burnley.

The visitors came out in the second half with all guns blazing to turn defeat into victory for yet another remarkable come-back.

After United started brightly, Max Gradel firing wide with the goal at his mercy, the Clarets took the lead after 27 minutes when Andre Bikey’s powerful header was blocked on the line and Brian Easton hooked the ball home.

Neil Collins almost levelled for Leeds, but the defender saw his header go inches wide of the far post.

Route one yielded a second for Burnley when a long punt up-field by ex-Leeds defender Clarke Carlisle saw Jay Rodriguez out-muscle Alex Bruce and smash the ball past Kasper Schmeichel.

Jack Cork came close to making it three just before the break, and Leeds were relieved to hear the half-time whistle.

But after the break United hurled men forward and quickly bagged a reward when Gradel reduced the deficit after 52 minutes after he smashed home a nod-down from Luciano Becchio.

Ex-York City loanee Chris Iwelumo wasted a glorious chance to restore Burnley’s two-goal advantage before Becchio seized on good work along the right by Paul Connolly and Jonny Howson to slide the ball in from close-range for a 66th-minute leveller.

Skipper Howson capped the rousing rally with the winner five minutes from time. He ran unchallenged from the half-way line to finish with style.

Leeds are now fourth, and with QPR next up at Elland Road, another cracker is in store.

Burnley: Grant, Mears, Carlisle, Bikey, Easton, Wallace (Guidetti 78), Marney, Elliott, Cork, Rodriguez, Iwelumo (Thompson 72). Subs (unused): Duff, Edgar, Jensen, Harvey, Alexander.

Leeds: Schmeichel, Connolly, Bruce, Collins, McCartney, Kilkenny (McCormack 64), Johnson, Gradel, Howson, Snodgrass, Becchio (Faye 90). Subs (unused): Paynter, Sam, Higgs, Hughes, Somma.

Referee: R Booth.

Att: 20,453.