Derby 'cracker' can keep Neil Warnock's play-off dream alive for Leeds United (From York Press)

Derby 'cracker' can keep Neil Warnock's play-off dream alive for Leeds United

10:55am Friday 15th March 2013 in Sport

YORKSHIRE derby duty has got Leeds United manager Neil Warnock drooling – and still hopeful of crashing the npower Championship play-off frame.

With nine games left, starting with tomorrow’s visit of Huddersfield to Elland Road, Leeds are five points off the play-off positions. But Warnock is confident the ground can be made up.

He said: “We’ve got Huddersfield now and that’s a cracker.

“There’s 27 points left and we’re in a lot better situation than we were two months go. It’s just frustrating that we’re not a little bit better off. We’ve got to look at tomorrow now.”

Warnock’s confidence of landing a top-six place was increased by the second-half showing in the 1-1 draw at home to Peterborough in midweek.

While conceding how the outcome proved to be two points lost, he was energised by an improvement after half-time in which Leeds’ attacking impetus and intent was stronger after the leveller was struck by York-born right-back Sam Byram.