Warnock - It was an important win
Leeds beat Millwall 1-0 at Elland Road on Saturday thanks to a penalty from Stephen Warnock in the final twenty minutes and Warnock was delighted to get the three points on board.
Speaking on Yorkshire Radio, Warnock said, "It was just important to win the game so I am delighted. "We said before the game that we had to take a minimum of five points from the next three games, so it was very important to get three points out of the Millwall game with a run of tough games coming up."
Leeds had chances to have had the game won by the time Warnock scored from the spot with Ross McCormack going close on three occasions. McCormack missed a first half hat-trick of chances. The striker became the first Leeds player to miss from the penalty spot this season when David Forde tipped his strike onto a post.
Warnock`s late penalty made it 13 successful penalties out of 14 for Leeds this season and he became the fifth Leeds player this season to score from the spot.
Moments after his penalty miss, McCormack saw his cross elude everyone and hit the far post and run across the goal but Millwall defender Danny Shittu was on hand to clear. McCormack then missed an excellent opportunity when Luke Varney set him up but the striker could not get the ball out of his feet and get a clear strike on goal.
The win for Leeds made it seven points from a possible nine in recent weeks and Warnock says clubs will not be looking forward to facing Leeds.
"I wouldn`t want to play against us at the moment," added Warnock.
Leeds Achilles heel since their return to the championship has been their defending but it now looks settled since Lee Peltier moved into the centre of defence to partner Tom Lees and experienced defender Stephen Warnock signed for the club in January. The clean sheet on Saturday was their third in a row in the championship, the first time they have managed this since their return to the championship in 2010.
Having sorted out their defensive issues the problems are now in attack. Ross McCormack has now gone five games without a goal and January signing Steve Morison has netted just the one goal so far.
Warnock will be hoping that at least one of his strikers hits a goalscoring run between now and the end of the season if they are to stand any chance of reaching the play-offs.