Leeds boss Neil Warnock admits his first win at Elland Road has 'been a long time coming' after securing a 4-1 win over Peterborough.
Leeds boss pleased for striker Paynter after maiden home win
Leeds boss Neil Warnock admits his first win at Elland Road has 'been a long time coming' after securing a 4-1 win over Peterborough on Saturday.
Billy Paynter scored his first goals on home soil as the hosts came from behind, with Ross McCormack also netting a brace as Leeds overturned Joe Newell's opener.
The win keeps Leeds in the hunt for a top-ten finish but Warnock admits the impressive performance did little to change his blueprint for next season.
"It's been a long time coming," he said of his first home win. "But I don't get carried away, nothing has changed my opinion on what I need.
"We've had some great performances and some diabolical performances. We seem to be on a toss of a coin."
A goal either side of half-time does not appear to be enough to save Paynter's career with Leeds, the striker having failed to live up to his billing after being signed from Swindon in the summer of 2010.
They were just his second and third goals for the club, but Warnock insists he earned his start through his work-rate in training.
Paynter
"I haven't got a clue (if Paynter will stay)," said Warnock when quizzed on the player's future. "I don't think anyone can tell me who is going to be involved (next season).
"But I was pleased for Billy. He did ever so well. He's been like that in training and that's why I played him. It was a good opportunity, he's been shining in training and I thought: 'To hell with it'.
"I told him at half-time that he deserved his goal and he said: 'Really gaffer? I thought I should have had a hat-trick', and he could."
Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson rued his side's "comical" defending, and believes it could have been a different story had his side held onto their lead until half-time.
"The first goal for Leeds changed the game," he said.
"We could have been more than 1-0 up and were causing them all sorts of problems. But a crazy five minutes killed us. Some of our defending was comical.
"We're making it hard for ourselves, we're faltering at the death. We wanted to end with momentum, which might not seem important at the moment but it will next season."
Ferguson also confirmed that defender Gabriel Zakuani will not play again this season owing to a dislocated shoulder.
