New Leeds United boss Neil Redfearn has admitted that his side's poor defending proved costly during Saturday's defeat away to Cardiff City in the Championship.

Three goals after half time saw Cardiff claim a 3-1 triumph just hours after Redfearn had been appointed permanent manager of Leeds.

Despite insisting that his team enjoyed some dominance in the game, Redfearn believes that a disappointing performance at the back was at the root of the result.

"The result and the manner of the goals is the most disappointing thing," he told the club's official website. "They were struggling at that time when the game was quite stretched, we were having little pockets of play and regaining possession quite quickly and easily to get around their box.

"We created one or two half-chances, one or two little glimpses of things, but you've got to keep the back door shut. That's the bottom line. If you concede two, you've got to get three to win so we've got to keep things tighter at the back, be a bit more thorough with defending in and around our own box."

Redfearn takes charge of his first home match as permanent manager of Leeds on Tuesday when they welcome Charlton Athletic to Elland Road.