Leeds have subjected Rangers to their biggest defeat of the season after putting six past Ian Holloway's men.

It all started out so well. A second minute goal from Gareth Ainsworth looked to have set Rangers on the road to yet another win, but then disaster happened.

A 43 minute Leeds goal-fest saw Leeds go into the break 5-1 up after Brian Deane grabbed a hat-trick with a strike a piece from Jermaine Wright and David Healy.

The second half saw Chris Day save a penalty before Deane put the game to bed with his fourth goal of the game.

Like a cat with a ball of string, Leeds toyed with Rangers at the back, giving the defence the run around as they wrapped up all three points by half time.

Ian Holloway made two changes to the team that beat Wigan by bringing back Marc Bircham who had served his one match suspension and also replaced Lee Cook with Kevin McLeod.

Georges Santos had been an injury worry but made it into the starting line-up.

The game had hardly had time to settle before Rangers struck. Virtually from the kick off, Ian Holloway's men took the lead.

Paul Furlong was making inroads towards goal when old friend Clarke Carlisle robbed him of the ball. Fortunately, it fell to Kevin Gallen who expertly spied Gareth Ainsworth screaming for the ball to his right.

In the typical 'Wild Thing' fashion of never scoring a simple goal, Ainsworth let rip from 25 yards with a fierce right footer which flew into the back of the net to give Neil Sullivan no chance.

With only a minute and a half on the clock, it would have been a long time to hold on to a one goal lead. And so it proved when just eight minutes later, Leeds pulled themselves back into the game with another cracking strike.

Matthew Rose had left the field to get treatment after a goal saving tackle and Rangers were playing with ten men when David Healy lifted the ball over Chris Day from the edge of the area.

The break in play allowed Gino Padula to replace the injured Rose, and it was to go from bad to worse for Rangers.

With barely time to catch breath, the game was turned on its head as Leeds went in front. Simon Walton's back heel was picked up by Healy and his ball which skipped across the face of goal was just begging to be tapped home.

Brian Deane was perfectly placed on the far post to oblige and suddenly Rangers momentum was looking shaky.

Only the off-side flag saved Rangers from going 3-1 down when Day parried John Oster's shot into the path of Deane and he toe poked home, only to be denied by the referee's assistant.

It wasn't long however before Leeds got their two goal cushion. With just 24 minutes on the clock, the net bulged for the fourth time.

Jermaine Wright's shot saw Day save well, but again push the ball out into Wright's path. With Day still grounded from the initial save, Wright tapped the ball home.

Kevin Gallen tried his luck on the half hour mark when Marc Bircham slipped him through, but although his soft effort beat Neil Sullivan, it slid wide of the target.

And still the goals came. Four minutes before the break, Deane struck again. Wright put the cross into the box and John Oster slipped the ball through to Deane to strike.

Leeds were not relenting and took a 5-1 lead into the break as Deane wrapped up his hat-trick five minutes before the break. Gary Kelly played the ball into the area from the left channel and Deane was once again on hand to turn the ball home.

Holloway made two changes to signal the start of the second half as Marcus Bean replaced Jamie Cureton and Lee Cook came on for Kevin McLeod. Bean took up his position in the centre of midfield and Kevin Gallen moved up front.

The beginning of the second half was a lot more settled. Although still played at a frantic pace, the goalmouths were at least left well alone.

Gallen almost reduced the deficit as the clock hit 65 minutes, but his low strike down the middle of the goal was smothered by Sullivan.

As if Leeds needed any help to get on the scoresheet, referee Colin Webster pointed to the spot after Bean's push on Simon Walton in the area.

Chris Day however had a different idea and he guessed correctly and swooped low to his right to push away David Healy's spot kick.

Such was the Leeds supporters' excitement, a Mexican wave fanned it's way around the ground, not surprisingly it stopped when it reached the away end.

Leeds responded by giving the fans what they wanted when Deane notched his fourth goal of the game. Dan Shittu failed to get any direction on his header and it fell to Deane two yards from goal to give him the simple task of heading into the corner of the net.

Talk about cruising, Leeds were so relaxed at this point, that Brian Deane obliged by giving the crowd a wave when they chanted his name.

At this point it was safe to say that not even Kevin Gallen's magic hat could have thrown up enough witchcraft to save Rangers.

The final whistle couldn't come quick enough for Rangers, and when it finally did, it signalled the end of a game they will be keen to move on from and forget about.

Leeds: Sullivan, Kelly, Carlisle, Butler, Wright, Gregan, Healy (Joachim 78), Pugh, Oster, Walton (Richardson 90), Deane (Lennon 86)

Subs: Carson, Kilgallon

Scorers: Healy 9, Deane 12, 44, 44, 72 Wright 24

Rangers: Day, Bignot, Shittu, Rose (Padula 11), Bircham, Gallen, Ainsworth, Cureton (Bean 45), McLeod (Cook 45), Santos, Furlong

Subs: Bean, Cook, Branco, Miller

Scorers: Ainsworth 2:

Referee: C Webster

Att: 29,739