Leeds are six points adrift of Portsmouth, who are 17th, after suffering a sixth successive league defeat, but it needed a controversial penalty - awarded against Didier Domi for a 'challenge' on Darius Vassell - to set the home side on their way to victory in first-half injury time.
"It was a tough three points for us against a side I can't really believe are where they are in the table," said O´Leary. "You look at their players and the way they played and if they repeat that and show the same attitude, then they will win the games to take them away from relegation."