Leeds manager Simon Grayson warned his players to shape up quickly after Reading's 1-0 win at Elland Road dented his team's Championship play-off push.
Grayson's side were behind in the second minute on Saturday when Simon Church scored for Reading with a clever lob and Leeds lacked the guile to get back in the match.
The Yorkshire club remain in sixth place in English football's second tier, but Grayson knows they can't afford to miss out on a play-off spot, especially after chairman Ken Bates used his notes in the match programme to pile pressure on the squad.
Bates wrote: "This year is the ultimate challenge for Simon, his staff and, just as importantly, the players.
"For those whose ambition is to play in the Premier League, well ... get us there! For those who are seeking a substantial pay rise, well, get us to the Premier League and we can afford it."
Grayson knows the players must live up to Bates' demands or he could face the sack.
"Everybody wants to get promoted but you can't just expect to turn up, get your wage and think 'if we win today, happy days, but if we don't we are not particularly bothered'. You have to earn your money," Grayson said.
"If they don't want to do that, other players will have to come in but I have a belief that the ones we have, with one or two additions, will keep us around where we want to be."
With leaders Southampton not in action until Sunday's south-coast derby at bitter rivals Portsmouth, Sam Allardyce's West Ham moved level on points at the top with a 1-0 win over Barnsley.
Senegal midfielder Papa Bouba Diop scored in the sixth minute to claim his first goal in English football since netting for Fulham against Blackburn six years ago.
Despite the win, Allardyce was sent to the stands after complaining about referee Scott Mathieson.
He felt Fredi Piquionne and Freddie Sears could have had penalties while Jim O'Brien's challenge on 17-year-old debutant Daniel Potts left him raging.
"The most disappointing thing for me was the challenge on Potts. It was reckless and dangerous," Allardyce said.
"That's what flicked the red mist for me, as well as the Fredi Piquionne one, and kicking the bottles was the last straw.
"I haven't been in trouble for 10 or 12 years now, but if I am in trouble I want to know what they are going to do about those decisions. It's killing English football."
Middlesbrough moved above Cardiff into third place after a dramatic 3-2 win at their promotion rivals.
Bart Ogbeche beat David Marshall with a deflected effort to hand the visitors the advantage against the run of play, but Boro's ascendancy was short-lived.
Ben Turner nodded his first goal for Cardiff to restore parity before Aron Gunnarsson latched onto Kenny Miller's neat pass to slot home the hosts' second of the afternoon.
Boro drew level when Justin Hoyte picked out Scott McDonald, who tapped home before Faris Haroun struck the winner with 15 minutes remaining to end Cardiff's 11-game unbeaten run.
Hull also moved above Cardiff into third with a 2-0 win over struggling Millwall at the KC Stadium.
Kieran Trippier scored the only goal as Burnley won 1-0 away to nine-man Brighton.
Doncaster came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Leicester, while Ipswich won 1-0 against Derby.
Peterborough won 1-0 against bottom club Coventry, Blackpool and Watford shared a 0-0 draw and Bristol City drew 0-0 with Nottingham Forest.
Source: AFP
