The former Espanyol midfielder's first goal for the Seasiders was enough to see off a spirited effort from the visitors, who were reduced to 10 men when Darren O'Dea collected his second booking in the closing stages.

Blackpool are on course to claim a play-off berth as they lie fifth, four points clear of seventh-placed Middlesbrough who were held to a goalless draw by relegated Doncaster.

"I'm absolutely delighted, I'm on top of the world," said Holloway.

"That was as tough a game as you'll ever have, as tense a game as you'll ever have and I thought Leeds came here and made it really difficult.

"Yet we managed to attack with lots of excitement - some of my young lads running with it and Lua (Lomana LuaLua) twisting and turning.

"They had a good spell at the start of the second half, but we managed to keep our minds in the game, me included - not screaming and shouting at any decision.

"We showed a lot of belief when we needed to. I'm very, very pleased with everybody concerned."

Nevertheless, Holloway rejected talk of Tuesday night being a significant one in his team's pursuit of a second promotion through the Championship play-offs in three seasons.

"I don't care about Middlesbrough's result," he added. "It's about us, we've got Burnley next.

"We have to win. If we win one of our last two games we're guaranteed it.

"We have to do that, we haven't done it yet, and until we do it, it doesn't matter what Middlesbrough do."

Penalty

Leeds failed to build on Saturday's 4-1 triumph over Peterborough by securing their first back-to-back wins under Warnock, and the former Sheffield United and QPR boss was left aggrieved by one decision in the first period.

Top scorer Ross McCormack got goal-side of Stephen Crainey before going down under the Blackpool full-back's challenge shortly before the interval, but referee Tony Bates was unmoved.

"I thought it was a penalty," said Warnock. "The ref said 'there was something not quite right' - I don't know what that means.

"It's a booking if he thinks he dives or it's a corner kick if their defender's got a touch, but on the video the defender's got nowhere near the ball - he's just taken Ross down."

With United's faint mathematical chances of a top six place now gone, Warnock is looking forward to building for his first full campaign at Elland Road next term.

He added: "I couldn't fault the effort, the effort was fantastic. It's just a matter of being patient really.

"We are lacking in certain areas and we can't do anything about that until the summer, so roll on the summer."