LEEDS boss Kevin Blackwell sent his new Storm Force H into action for the first time. And Rob Hulse and David Healy answered the call with a three-goal demolition job on Reading.

Hulse, Blackwell's £1million new boy from West Brom, hit the jackpot twice in a seven second-half minutes.

And by that time Leeds were already in front thanks to a Healy strike nine minutes before the interval.

Blackwell admitted before the game that he had been desperate to bring in Hulse to partner Healy up front.

And the early signs are that H is for Heaven for Leeds, who maintained their charge towards the play-offs with a fourth win in seven games.

But H stood for Hell as far as Reading were concerned. Without a win since the turn of the year, they look low on confidence and only a late strike form sub Lloyd Owusu gave the scoreline a semblance of respectability.

Certainly no one at Elland Road will be taking bets against these two swapping places in the top six by the end of the season.

Reading opened brightly enough but it wasn't hard to see why they had managed just one goal in six games.

In the fourth minute there were no takers when a right-wing cross from Andy Hughes exposed the Leeds defence and veteran Les Ferdinand set up a shooting chance for Steve Sidwell, whose 25-yard effort sailed wide.

When Ferdinand created a chance for himself, he slid the ball wide of Neil Sullivan's right-hand post.

Healy and Aaron Lennon had chances at the other end before Hulse forced a super save from Marcus Hahnemann with a close-range header. In the 28th minute, Ivar Ingimarsson wasted another chance for the visitors, directing a free header from a Glen Little centre high and wide.

And Ingimarsson was soon in trouble at the other end, losing the ball to Lennon who was left with a one-on-one against the keeper.

He looked certain to score but Hahnemann was off his line quickly and blocked the shot.

It was only a temporary reprieve, however, for more sloppy defending presented Leeds with the opener in the 36th minute.

Lennon somehow managed to get the better of three defenders to give Healy the chance to race away and score his seventh goal of the season.

Hulse went close straight after the restart, pouncing on a loose ball after Reading had failed to clear a Healy cross - but he shot wide.

Ferdinand missed a glorious chance to level things in the 50th minute when he volleyed over the top after Sullivan palmed a Little cross straight out to him.

It was a costly error. For six minutes later Hulse rounded off a four-man Leeds move with an 18-yard shot past Hahnemann.

The new boy was booked for taking his shirt off to celebrate ... but he was soon celebrating again.

Healy set up the chance with a through pass that allowed Hulse to race clear and lash a 25-yard piledriver past the keeper.

To their credit, Reading did not lie down and Sullivan had to pull off a superb double save to deny Sidwell and Nicky Forster in the 77th minute.

And six minutes later the Leeds keeper did even better to keep out a header from team-mate Gary Kelly.

He was finally beaten by Owusu from close range with two minutes left but, by then, it was all over.

LEEDS: Sullivan 8 - Kelly 6, Carlisle 6, Butler 7, Gray 7 - Wright 7, Gregan 8, Einarsson 6 - Lennon 7 (Richardson, 71mins) - Hulse 8 (Ricketts, 70mins, 7), *HEALY 9.

READING: *HAHNEMANN 8 - Murty 5, Sonko 5, Ingimarsson 5, Shorey 6 - Little 6 (Morgan, 65mins, 5), Hughes 7, Sidwell 7, Harper 5 (Brooker, 65mins, 5) - Ferdinand 5 (Owusu, 76mins), Forster 6. Ref: C Foy 7.