Leeds United maintained their Championship play-off hopes with a 2-1 win over struggling Bristol City at Elland Road on Tuesday night.

Goals in each half from top-scorer Chris Wood and the outstanding Pablo Hernandez saw off the Robins, who could only reply through substitute Milan Djuric's injury-time header.

As a result, Garry Monk's side remain fifth in the table after their seventh home win from their last eight games, while the visitors remain 20th, just three points from safety.

Image: Leeds United's Chris Wood (left) celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game against Bristol City

Eunan O'Kane replaced Leeds captain Liam Bridcutt, who was suspended after being dismissed in Saturday's 2-0 loss to Cardiff City, while defender Pontus Jansson featured after recovering from a recent illness.

As for the visitors, frontman Matty Taylor was only fit enough for a place on the bench after picking a hamstring strain in their 3-3 draw at Derby County on the weekend, with Lee Tomlin replacing him in attack.

And the Robins began the contest full of confidence after their thrilling display at Pride Park as David Cotterill tested Rob Green with an early long-range free kick which the former England international was forced to turn behind for a corner.

Image: Leeds United's Pablo Hernandez (left) celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game against Bristol City

However, Leeds gradually gained a foothold in proceedings, with Wood and Kemar Roofe's movement in attack a constant threat to the Bristol City back line, and it was the former who broke the deadlock just before the half-hour mark with his 19th goal of the campaign.

The goal, though, owed much to Hernandez's ingenuity as the Spain midfielder caught his opponents out with a quickly taken free kick, so much so that Wood was given the freedom of the penalty are to fire the home side ahead.

Bristol City's players, and their manager Lee Johnson, were furious that the goal was allowed to stand after Wood appeared to foul Bailey Wright, with the latter even given a strong talking to on the touchline by referee Jeremy Simpson after taking his protests too far.

Image: Leeds United's Chris Wood (right) and Bristol City's Josh Brownhill battle for possession at Elland Road

The goal stood, though, giving Leeds the lead at the break, but only after Green did well to keep out Joe Bryan's low shot at his near post.

However, perhaps more damaging for the visitors was the loss of 21-goal forward Tammy Abraham - currently on loan from Chelsea - who limped off with an injury eight minutes before the break.

That blow was further compounded just two minutes into the second half when Spain midfielder Hernandez doubled the home side's lead with a strike from the edge of the area, albeit with the help of a big deflection off Aden Flint that wrong-footed Fabian Giefer.

Image: Chris Wood (rioght) keeps possession for Leeds

Thereafter, the Robins threw everything they had at their opponents, only to find Green in unbeatable form in the Leeds goal.

The 37-year-old 'keeper produced a string of impressive saves to preserve his side's two-goal advantage, including twice denying giant striker Djuric with outstanding reflex stops.

The Bosnia forward did eventually get his name on the scoresheet in the sixth minute of stoppage time, but his near-post header proved to be the final action of the game.

Leeds boss Garry Monk:

"It was a good response and pleasing to get the three points. There was a little bit more pressure and expectancy on us to get the result tonight.

"It was the first time we had suffered back-to-back defeats since the start of the season, so we are happy to get the win. I thought we did very well in the first half in particular and we are pleased to get back on track"

Bristol City boss Lee Johnson:

"The first goal is always going to be big, especially at a big away club like this. The first goal is a clear foul. Wood has clipped Bailey Wright's heels and pushed him in the back.

"Tammy Abraham has done something to his thigh. He'll have a scan over the next day or two. Tammy is gutted because he feels like it might be a bad one but hopefully that won't be the case."