The 63-year-old, known as a promotion expert, was given an 18-month contract as Simon Grayson`s replacement yesterday morning, and arrived at Elland Road to watch his new side against Doncaster.

They started poorly and trailed 1-0 at the break, prompting Warnock to head to the dressing room and assist interim boss Neil Redfearn with his team talk.

And, even though they went 2-0 down not long after, his words worked as Leeds hit back to win 3-2, with Luciano Becchio scoring the winner in the ninth minute of added time.

"I thought they did well. We changed formation at half-time, or just after, and I thought it worked well," Warnock said of the game.

"All credit to them, a lot of teams might have given up, but at 2-0 down it got the atmosphere going."

Leeds stand 10th in the table, three points behind sixth-placed Birmingham, who have played two fewer games than the Yorkshire side.

Warnock is aiming high, and when asked about aiming for the play-offs he added: "I think anything can happen. I think we're a long way from being a top side, if I'm honest, but the lads have got spirit and they showed that to come back from 2-0 down

"So (there are) 14 games (to play), everybody's trying to help everybody else aren't they, because no-one's running away with it, so you never say never do you?"

Elsewhere yesterday, manager Nigel Adkins dubbed Adam Lallana the best player in the Championship as Southampton returned to the top of the league with a resounding 4-0 win over Derby.

Defenders Jos Hooiveld and Aaron Martin netted from Danny Fox corners either side of the break to set Saints on their way.

Spectacular strikes from Lallana and Tadanari Lee, scoring his first for Southampton, sent Saints back to the summit, above West Ham, for the first time in four weeks.

Adkins said: "You can see our confidence shining through. It was a good win, with four excellent goals at home.

"It was an outstanding goal from Adam Lallana. One word sums him up - class. For me he is the best player in the league. He is top drawer."

Nottingham Forest secured a first home win since November, beating Coventry 2-0 and climbing out of the relegation places in the process.

A moment of magic from Garath McCleary set them on their way and, after Robbie Findlay wrapped things up, manager Steve Cotterill praised McCleary`s goal.

"It was a great goal," he said. "

Garath has great feet and he's more than capable of doing that."

Barnsley beat crisis club Portsmouth 2-0 at Oakwell, with Jim O`Brien and Matt Done scoring in Pompey`s first game since they went into administration,

Manager Keith Hill was not interested in dishing out sympathy, though, saying: "None whatsoever, absolutely none. Because they've spent money they can't afford.

"They've recruited players at the beginning of the season knowing full well they were still in debt from the previous time they were still in administration."

In the day`s other games, Crystal Palace beat Watford 4-0, Peterborough saw off struggling Bristol City 3-0 and Ipswich beat Cardiff by the same scoreline.