Nigel Clough insisted his Sheffield United team are still targeting automatic promotion after watching them beat fellow hopefuls Preston North End 2-1 at Bramall Lane.
United trail second-placed Swindon Town by six points after goals from Marc McNulty and Jamal Campbell-Ryce ended their long wait for a Sky Bet League 1 win.Boss Clough said: "We are still hoping to get in there. That's what we are aiming to do.
"We were in the relegation zone this time last year and made up a much bigger margin to come seventh. So why can't we do it again?
"We haven't played really well yet, until now that is, but we are still right up there in the mix."
A free-kick from North End substitute Josh Brownhill set-up a nervous finish but United, who remain sixth, were deserved victors.
"We had to work hard because they are a very, very good side," Clough added. "They put you under an awful lot of pressure but we stood up to that and saw it through which was great to see.
"We just told the lads at half time to step things up and bit and play with a bit more intensity. That's what they did and they got their reward."
Preston boss Simon Grayson, whose team drop to fourth, said: "We didn't handle that spell after the break, when they came out at us, well enough and paid for that. But there are no excuses from us because we don't make those.
"Until that point, I thought we restricted them to long-range shots. We had some chances of our own but didn't take them.
"There were two good teams out there. Sheffield United are a counter-attacking side and that's perhaps why they've not always had the results at home they would have liked. We knew they would be a test and they were but I think we gave them one too."