With sound intentions, Simon Grayson stated that the 11 players selected on Saturday were not to be seen as a replica of the line-up he will pin to the wall before Leeds play Exeter City next month, but even he must be questioning that.

If the individuals in question are still uncertain of Grayson's intentions for August 8 then there is now a valid argument that they ought not to be.

Were Leeds to reproduce the performance with which they bewildered Blackburn when Exeter come calling, their coaching staff and their manager in particular would have few grounds for complaint.

Blackburn were second best by a surprisingly wide margin at Elland Road, rescued only by a penalty from Paul Gallagher which was scored at a time when they had little right to be pressing for a draw.

Without the excellent Paul Robinson, who looked every bit the England international he professes to be, the Premier League club would have been slaughtered inside an hour.

In Rovers' defence – and their manager, Sam Allardyce, might demand one having missed Saturday's game to examine a possible signing in Russia – their schedule for pre-season is a week behind United's, but their problem at Elland Road was not so much natural summer rust as opposition who were intent on trampling them into the ground.

United ran riot in the first half, repelled by the same post twice and given no assistance by a fine last line of defence in Robinson, and Blackburn had no answer to the physical strength of Grayson's players or their slick interplay.

Robinson may in fact have been the only Blackburn player who genuinely enjoyed his time inside the stadium.

Leeds' former goalkeeper was welcomed back to the club he left in 2004 with warm affection, particularly at the start of the second half when he stood in front of the Kop and engaged in playful banter with the crowd behind him.

Though Jermaine Beckford beat him early in the second half, the moral victory belonged to Robinson who was gracious enough to launch his gloves towards the Revie Stand as he prepared to leave the field as a substitute in the 61st minute.

The 29-year-old's involvement was an entertaining sideshow for many of United's supporters but the impression made by his opposite number, Shane Higgs, was worthy of more serious reflection.

Higgs, Grayson's close-season signing from Cheltenham Town, appeared for the first time in front of an Elland Road crowd and left the ground with his reputation enhanced.

Blackburn's examination of him was never searching but he was pleasingly comfortable under hanging balls and produced two outstanding saves at the start of the second half, one which rivalled any of Robinson's.

Grayson has several key decisions to make, and choosing his regular goalkeeper is not the least of them.