TEENAGER Fabian Delph’s fabulous double hoisted United into second spot.

The 18-year-old used his sweet left foot to strike two crackers for Leeds after Luciano Becchio gave them a second-half lead.

United boss Gary McAllister and opposite number Jimmy Mullen were both awestruck by the lad they call Fab.

McAllister said: “They were fantastic strikes — he has this fine left foot. But his all-round qualities were very much on show.”

Mullen added: “They were two excellent strikes by the boy, which I put down to the quality of the player.”

The Bradford-born lad hit his first in the 65th minute when he fizzed substitute Andy Robinson’s shrewd square free-kick past Trinidad and Tobago keeper Clayton Ince from 30 yards.

His second, from 22 yards, was his last touch before he was subbed in the 87th minute, leaving the field to stand-up applause.

Mullen missed the first Leeds goal, scored by Argentine striker Becchio.

He was still strolling down the tunnel for the start of the second half when the former Boca Juniors hitman hooked in his eighth goal of the season from six yards.

Mullen admitted: “We were a goal down and I didn’t even see it.”

The goal came only 56 seconds after the restart when Jermaine Beckford won a corner on the left.

Delph struck the ball in and as the Saddlers failed to clear Becchio was at full stretch on the turf to hook his shot past the helpless Ince.

The better chances in the first half fell to Walsall and they should have gone ahead in the 22nd minute when a quick square ball caught out the Leeds defence.

But striker Jabo Ibehre’s side-footed shot was brilliantly saved by Danish keeper Casper Ankergren.

Ibehre spurned two more chances — one with a fresh-air swing — as Walsall failed to make the most of their openings.

United sub Robinson had been on for five minutes when he laid on Delph’s first.

His second came from a square pass from Jonathan Howson and his 22-yard strike swerved past Ince in style.

SCUNTHORPE 3, MILLWALL 2

NIGEL ADKINS had a late scare before Scunthorpe stretched their lead at the top of the table.

United, now unbeaten in 13 games, were cruising before Millwall scored twice to set up a tense finish.

Iron manager Adkins said: “We did ever so well in the first half before we sat back a bit. But it was still great value for money for the fans.

“This is what it’s all about — a really exciting game that had a little bit of everything.”

It certainly had goals and United grabbed two in the opening 17 minutes as Gary Hooper and Paul Hayes made the Lions pay for slack defending. Matt Sparrow made it three on 51 minutes but Millwall came to life when Neil Harris hit back 11 minutes later.

Tony Craig struck to give United an uncomfortable final 20 minutes.

LEICESTER 0, NORTHAMPTON 0

NIGEL PEARSON agreed his Foxes were poor after they were thwarted by Cobblers keeper Frank Fielding.

The Blackburn loan stopper showed his quality with second-half saves from Lloyd Dyer and Matt Fryatt after they were sent racing clear.

Fans booed City off and Pearson said: “I understand the supporters’ frustration and we will improve. I know we haven’t been hitting the heights we did earlier in the season, but I still have every faith in the players.”

Fielding was also at full stretch to keep out Steve Howard’s deflected shot.

Fryatt had a goal ruled out for a foul on Fielding and was angry not to get a penalty after Danny Jackman sent him crashing on 61 minutes.

Adebayo Akinfenwa went closest for the Cobblers with a header and boss Stuart Gray said: “We produced a fantastic team performance.”

BRISTOL R 4, SOUTHEND 2

RICKIE LAMBERT grabbed a four-goal haul to sink Southend — and became the country’s leading marksman.

The Rovers striker netted his hat-trick in the opening 32 minutes and added a fourth 10 minutes into the second half for his 15th goal of the season.

His three headers and low flick into the corner put Rovers four up before Southend made a triple substitution on 64 minutes. That led to a late burst and goals from Peter Clarke and Francis Laurent.

COLCHESTER 5, CARLISLE 0

MARK YEATES struck twice as Colchester cruised to a first win at the Weston Homes Community Stadium — at the seventh attempt.

U’s boss Paul Lambert was relieved as three goals in the first 30 minutes saw his side end their winless run at their new home.

Yeates’ first came from outside the area and the second with a smart finish from close range.

Earlier, he set up the opener on three minutes, picking out David Perkins with his right-wing cross.

Dean Hammond got No 4 on 89 minutes and Akanni-Sunday Wasiu made it five in stoppage time.

HARTLEPOOL 1, BRIGHTON 0

KEVIN KYLE grabbed his third goal of the week to earn Pools their third win on the trot.

The striker, who is on loan from Coventry, struck on 12 minutes, heading in at the far post from James Brown’s cross after a short corner on the right.

On-loan Robbie Savage fired wide for Brighton, while Joel Porter’s shot was cleared off the visitors’ line just on half-time.

Albion fought back after the break but the closest they came was when Joe Anyinsah hit the bar from 20 yards.

HEREFORD 0, STOCKPORT 1

TOMMY ROWE’S goal four minutes into stoppage time finally earned County the win they deserved.

Bulls keeper Darren Randolph had to tip away a curler from Anthony Pilkington on 12 minutes.

Stockport dominated possession but could not find a way through the stubborn Hereford defence.

They should have scored on 69 minutes but James Tunnicliffe put his header straight at Randolph.

Rowe was denied by Randolph in the 73rd minute but placed the ball past him in the dying seconds to snatch the points.

MK DONS 3, CHELTENHAM 1

ALI GERBA scored twice as Dons saw off old boss Martin Allen.

Gerba fired in after keeper Scott Brown’s 10th-minute parry.

Gavin Caines then headed the Robins level from a free-kick and Dons keeper Willy Gueret was sent off for chest-bumping Stuart Fleetwood after half an hour.

Brown saved a Peter Leven penalty after Josh Payne handled but was beaten from the spot by Sam Baldock after Lloyd Owusu climbed all over Jude Stirling.

Gerba got Dons a late third and then Owusu saw a second yellow.

PETERBORO 4, HUDDERSFIELD 0

POSH turned up the heat on under pressure Town boss Stan Ternent with a dazzling demolition job.

Prolific scorer Aaron Mclean scored twice on his first starting appearance since dislocating a shoulder last month.

Mclean broke the deadlock with a 12th-minute blast before George Boyd made it two after being released by Paul Coutts.

Chris Whelpdale headed a third 10 minutes into the second half and Mclean completed the scoring. Town had skipper Chris Lucketti sent off in stoppage time.

SWINDON 2, OLDHAM 1

ROOKIE Sean Morrison put the skids under Oldham with the first goal of his career.

Centre-back Morrison, 17, struck on 25 minutes when he coolly slotted the ball past veteran keeper Mark Crossley.

Right-back Jack Smith then added a penalty nine minutes later after striker Lee Hughes handled.

Simon Cox hit the bar in a one-sided second half as Swindon claimed their first clean sheet of the season against the former league leaders.

YEOVIL 0, LEYTON O 0

ORIENT boss Martin Ling will need to take another long look in the mirror after another dire display.

Orient, who are winless in eight, held on to a point by the skin of their teeth after Yeovil’s Gareth Owen missed an open goal in the dying minutes.

Sam Parkin, on loan from Luton, looked out of sorts for his new club as the O’s took 42 minutes to register a shot.

And Orient had Glovers defender Owen to thank after he somehow smashed Darren Way’s free-kick on to the bar from two yards.