Then James scored twice when Leeds won 4-0 in Watford to clearly move five points at the top of the championship.
Manor Solomon and Joel Piroe were also on goal, because the unbeaten Run by Daniel Farke expanded to 14 league matches.
It was a third consecutive victory in the competition, in which Leeds had scored 13 goals in those competitions and gave no matter.
The result – a fifth loss with right home where Watford has won only since Boxing Day – also increased the pressure on head coach Tom Cleverley.
Leeds started strongly with Piroe and saw a first minute of effort deflected, but Watford replied with two efforts that also required deflections to keep them out.
Imran Louza unleashed the first after referee Oliver Langford ignored the fine calls for handball by Ethan Ampadu, and Edo Kayembe hit the second even more difficult.
Piroe soon got back for another attempt and again his shot was blocked – and the third attempt by the Dutchman of the Night saw him Tamely shooting at the New Hornets -goalkeeper Egil Selvik.
There was a goal and Kayembe handed it to Leeds in the 20th minute with a misplaced pass in his own half that James took before he sprinted in the box and swung along Selvik.
James hit home eight minutes later when Watford was caught by a quick counterattack. Brenden Aaron's Pass from deep in the Leeds half sent Piroe Road on the left and his diagonal ball allowed James to make an undisputed run on the home goal, with the Welshman High, with Selvik helpless.
Illan Meslier made his first rescue of the night and blocked his body while Moussa Sissoko burst through the inside of the right channel.
It was crucial when Solomon made the score 3-0 in the 35th minute. The On-Loan Tottenham-Vleugel player kept a challenger off an initiate before firing a shot from just outside the box that went out of Watford defender Mattie Pollock.
Half ended up with James who grabbed a Jeremy Ngakia error, but although his shot of 40 meters beat Selvik, it bounced wide.
Watford's misery continued with Kayembe who took a corner with another Duff Pass.
However, that was nothing, where Ryan Andrews shot a long ranger wide wide before the hosts made a triple change just before the hour.
Piroe made the score at 4-0 in the 62nd minute by ending a movement that further embarrassed Watford. Ao Tanaka was allowed to turn the entire circle to find Solomon in the box and his pass easily saw Piroe avoid Pollock and home to a simple finish.
James and Tanaka both marginal wide of the same post before Giorgi Chakvetadze hit the bar on the other side and forced Louza Meslier in a rare salvation.
The managers
Watford's Tom Cleverley:
To follow …
Leeds' Daniel Farke:
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