FORGET Harry Potter and his philosopher's stone.

As far as Leeds fans are concerned, there's only one wizard capable of pulling rabbits out of a hat this Christmas and that's Harry Kewell -- Elland Road's very own Wizard from 'Aus'.

For Graeme Souness's Blackburn braves were bang on course for another richly-deserved point against one of the Premiership's high-rollers until Kewell suddenly conjured up two moments of second half magic to swing the game in United's favour.

Kewell's cool finishes apart, there was precious little to separate these two sides after a spellbinding contest in which the points could have gone either way.

But, despite his disappointment at a second successive home defeat, fellow Australian Lucas Neill believes Rovers must pick themselves up quickly and take heart from another encouraging performance.

"We're just having a bit of bad luck at the moment," said Neill, who summed up Rovers' character on the day with an outstanding performance at left-back. "I don't think you can say we lost the game through a lack of application.

"I thought our attitude was top class and, on another day, we probably would have come away with the three points.

"But that's football sometimes and at least it should put us in a confident frame of mind to go up to Newcastle and try and get something there.

"Leeds are tipped for the title and their team cost £90 million but we can take a lot out of that game because we weren't that far behind.

"We've just got to keep working hard on the training pitch and try and take that into the weekends because we need to pick up points where we can so we don't find ourselves under pressure later in the season.

"After last week's hiccup against Middlesbrough we've now gone from being top half to bottom half so the quicker we can get results, the better because we could be looking at pushing for Europe rather than fighting to stay in the Premier."

For all Rovers' neat approach play, just what would Souness give right now for a striker with the predatory instincts of Kewell?

Once again, Matt Jansen did a sterling job up front on his own but last season's top scorer is in desperate need of more support.

Just imagine what a top-class target man would make of the current silver-service being supplied from the wings by Keith Gillespie and Damien Duff.

Leeds fullbacks Ian Harte and Danny Mills became the latest pair to be teased and tormented by the deadly duo.

But for all their clever prompting, it took Henning Berg to finally the break the deadlock with a late consolation strike after a host of earlier chances had gone begging.

In complete contrast, however, Kewell needed no second invitation to grab his eighth and ninth goals of another productive season.

It was always going to take someone special to beat Brad Friedel on the day after the big American had pulled off a string of top saves.

But, though Kewell's goals were relatively straightforward, they were all about being in the right place at the right time.

"You can't say enough about Harry," conceded Neill.

"He's a great player and, if he can have a bad game and score two goals, then imagine what he's like when he's in top form.

"He just seems to go from strength to strength and he's so level-headed about it all as well, it's like it doesn't bother him.

"Having said that, the quality into the box made it easy for him to score.

"The first one was a tap-in and the second one he just had to put his head on the ball.

"But he was in the right place. I think he's got nine goals now and I'm sure he's capable of getting 20 this season because he will only get better."

Oliver Dacourt set the tone for the afternoon in the opening four minutes when he forced a smart save out of Friedel with a 20-yard free kick.

But Rovers soon found their feet as an attacking force and Jansen was desperately unlucky to see his header bounce back off a post after a glorious run and cross from Gillespie in the 12th minute.

With Duff and Gillespie running riot down the flanks, Mills, Harte and Gary Kelly all landed in the book within the space of six minutes as their frustrations boiled over.

However, Rovers were indebted to Friedel for a couple of blinding saves in the space of three minutes before the break.

The big American reacted quickly to block a shot from Mark Viduka after a quick free kick from Mills.

But he then eclipsed that with a save of Gordon Banks proportions to keep out Viduka's point-blank header following more clever prompting from Kewell and Robbie Fowler.

After the break, the mercury rose as Rovers sensed the points were there for the taking.

First, Nigel Martyn palmed a cross from Neill straight into the path of Gillespie but his fiercely struck shot was brilliantly blocked by Harte on the line.

Then, Tugay rammed a venomous 20-yarder against the underside of the bar only for the ball to bounce to safety.

At that point, it was starting to look like it might not be Rovers' day and as so often happens when a team fail to take their chances, the opposition then pop up with a goal of their own out of the blue.

Kelly accelerated past Craig Short on the right before whipping over a low centre for Fowler at the near post whose shot was parried by Friedel but only to Kewell who gleefully pocketed the rebound.

Worse was to come eight minutes later when Rovers were underdone by the same combination again.

Tugay lost out in a challenge with Dacourt, the ball broke to Fowler who fed Kelly on the right and his pinpoint cross to the far post was met by Kewell who beat Friedel emphatically with a powerful header.

Game over. Or so we thought!

Within a minute, substitute Ciccio Grabbi missed a golden chance to hand Rovers a lifeline when he shot tamely wide after David Dunn had slotted a clever ball through the Leeds defence.

And the same player then failed to get a telling touch on another sumptuous cross from Gillespie with the goal at his mercy.

Grabbi was involved, however, when Henning Berg finally found a way past Martyn in the 83rd minute.

Neill's cross found the Italian unmarked at the far post who shovelled the ball back into the six-yard box where Berg reacted quickest to stab it past Martyn and set-up a nail-biting finish.

But, for all Rovers' late pressure, United -- who expertly chased and harried all afternoon -- hung on to their slender lead to ensure last night's Christmas party went with a swing.

ROVERS...1

Berg 83 LEEDS UNITED...2 Kewell 55, 63

Attendance...28,309