The home side took the lead after only 12 minutes with a goal by ex-York City loanee Michael Reddy.
Shaun Derry then played the ball out wide for Frazer Richardson to run onto and the winger took his man on, beat the defender comfortably and curled a left footed shot into the far top hand corner of the net from the edge of the area.
Gylfi Einarsson later tripped midfielder Paul Bolland as he broke into the area and the referee had little hesitation in pointing to the spot when Bolland fell.
Bennett made his penalty save to press his claims to start ahead of Neil Sullivan, who is recovering from shoulder surgery.
David Healy was away celebrating the birth of his son, while other absentees were Paul Butler, Eirik Bakke, Seth Johnson, Gary Kelly, Dan Harding and Sean Gregan.
Leeds: Bennett, Richardson, Carlisle, Kilgallon, Crainey, Wright (Spring 65), Derry (Walton 65), Lewis (Pugh 65), Einarsson, Blake (Ian Morris 65), Ricketts.