That spirit was underlined by skipper Jonny Howson, who helped himself to a second-half hat-trick to condemn Scunthorpe to a fourth defeat in seven home games.

Howson struck on 60, 74 and 75 minutes after an early goal from Max Gradel had been cancelled out for Scunthorpe by an equalising header from skipper Cliff Byrne.

Grayson said: "I'm delighted with the way we responded to our defeat against Cardiff last Monday night.

"We had to show some good qualities to achieve that and that shows the spirit we have got in this club.

"I was a little disappointed in the first half because I did not think we put their back four under enough pressure. But we got at them much better in the second half and caused them problems.

"It was a great hat-trick from Jonny but it was a good all-round team performance. Andy O'Brien came in for us for his debut and looked solid.

"We know the qualities he has and I'm sure he will do even better for us once he gets fitter because he has not had much first team football.

"It was a good result for us but we're not going to get carried away. We still know we have a lot of work to do in certain areas.

"Scunthorpe can be a difficult place to come and on the back of two good away results for them we knew it would be tough.

"We did have an anxious moment in the opening minute when we almost gifted them a goal but we got over that and managed to take control of the game."

Scunthorpe boss Ian Baraclough was left scratching his head at why his side are struggling at home this season where they are normally so strong.

"Teams are beginning to pay us a little more respect and are making it more difficult for us to get at them but we have got to find a way of overcoming it," he said.

"It's no good for us playing so well at Watford last week where we won 2-0 and then letting our level of performance drop like this.

"We have got to find some more consistency.

"But we have got a young team and they have got to learn. If they want to get to the top level they have to find consistent performances every week. That is what players at the top level do.

"I thought we were the better team in the first half and could have been in a better situation than just level at the interval.

"We had one or two chances we might have done better with but in the second half it was Leeds who took control and we were disappointing."