Bradley Johnson and Neil Kilkenny scored their first goals for Leeds United, who were made to battle hard for the points by relegation-threatened Bournemouth.
Former Leeds chairman Gerald Krasner, who is handling Bournemouth's administration, was an interested spectator.
The pitch looked sparse and bumpy after staging the Rugby League World Club Challenge eight days earlier and rain combined with a gusting wind to make conditions even more difficult.
Bournemouth goalkeeper David Forde, who was making his debut after joining on an emergency loan from Cardiff, had to pick the ball out of his net after only eleven minutes.David Prutton lobbed the ball to the edge of the penalty area where Forde made a late decision to try and claim.
He only succeeded in colliding with his own defender Neil Young, leaving Johnson in the clear to shoot into an unguarded net.
Bournemouth had the ball in Leeds' net even earlier, but Max-Alain Gradel's claim to a goal was ruled out as the whistle had already gone for a foul just outside the box.
Bournemouth should have equalised when Leeds keeper Casper Ankergren spilled Gradel's cross, but teenager Sam Vokes shot badly wide.
Gradel also missed another clear-cut chance as the home defence looked distinctly vulnerable.
Although Leeds were chasing a play-off place and Bournemouth were at the wrong end of the table there was little to choose between the teams and it was a big relief to the home fans Jonny Howson passed to Kilkenny, who hit an unstoppable 20 yard shot into the bottom left corner in the 63rd minute.Dougie Freedman, who is on loan from Crystal Palace, left the Leeds bench for his debut with 20 minutes left but had few chances to impress.