LEEDS United are determined to keep hold of match-winner Lubomir Michalik.

The Slovakia international, who headed home his first goal for the Whites in the 87th minute to secure Leeds a dramatic 2-1 win over Plymouth, is due to return to parent club Bolton after today's game at Colchester.

But the big central defender has played a key role in Leeds' five-match unbeaten run and, after his late winner saw Leeds climb out of the bottom three for the first time since November, assistant boss Gus Poyet stressed Michalik would not be returning to the Reebok Stadium just yet.

Poyet said: "He's staying. He's going nowhere. We are waiting but if he keeps playing like that and doing that there's no way he's going back."

Leeds travelled to Colchester on Saturday night and a four-hour journey would help focus attention on the task at Layer Road after the joy at moving clear of the drop zone.

Poyet said: "We're very happy today, but the job is far from done, we have to make sure we keep going."

Leeds will need to improve if they are to extend their mini-run as they struggled against a Plymouth side smarting after successive heavy defeats.

Rather than wilt in front of a 30,000-plus Elland Road crowd, the Devon side were strong at the back where David Healy and Richard Cresswell took a real battering while the Leeds midfield were given no time to settle on the ball.

As against Preston on Good Friday, Leeds had to come from behind to win - the first time they have strung two successive victories this season.

Right-back Frazer Richardson aggravated an injury as Peter Halmosi gave Plymouth a 36th-minute lead, United plugged the gap by moving influential midfielder Radostin Kishishev into defence, but subsequently lost the territorial battle.

Although Healy maintained his rich vein of form by slotting in a loose ball before half-time, United could not build on the equaliser and spent much of the second-half on the back foot.

Casper Ankergren denied David Norris, Scott Sinclair and Halmosi with fine saves as Plymouth poured forward.

Although the visitors looked more likely winners, Michalik rose to meet substitute Alan Thompson's free-kick to head the ball over the line before it could be cleared to send most of Elland Road's biggest crowd of the season wild with delight.

Leeds match facts
Coca-Cola Championship
Leeds United 2, Plymouth 1 (at Elland Road)

Leeds United: Ankergren, Richardson (Thompson 38), Heath, Michalik, Gray (Marques 79), Blake (Moore 64), Douglas, Kishishev, Lewis, Healy, Cresswell. Subs (not used): Stack, Johnson. Caution: Gray. Goals: Healey 45, Michalik 87.

Plymouth: McCormick, Connolly, Timar, Seip, Sawyer, Djordjic (Sinclair 74), Norris, Nalis, Halmosi, Hayles, Ebanks-Blake (Fallon 85). Subs (not used): Buzaky, Capaldi, Gosling. Caution: Timar. Goal: Halmosi 36.

Referee: Scott Mathieson (Cheshire).

Attendance: 30,034.