The penultimate match of Leeds United's summer was the point at which McAllister believed the clamour for involvement next season would reach a crescendo, and it was with some bewilderment and not a little anger that he watched certain members of his squad play themselves away from contention during a laboured draw with Darlington.

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A dour friendly in County Durham did not seem likely to provoke McAllister's ire excessively, but he was visibly unimpressed when he appeared from what must have been a terse and unforgiving full-time analysis in United's dressing room to dissect the goalless stalemate further.

The result extended the club's unbeaten sequence during pre-season to six matches, a record which has saved McAllister from rolling out the platitude of how insignificant friendly results are, but another match without defeat was of little relevance as he assessed what Leeds' turgid display at Darlington might mean for his future team selection.

The line-up chosen by United's manager last night was balanced and imposing – on paper at least – and was clearly something of a trial run for the opening league game of next season, at Scunthorpe United a week on Saturday.

McAllister's team presented its question marks – a central midfield partnership of Jonathan Howson and Fabian Delph was not, for all the talent they offer, the most predictable of combinations – but as many as 10 of the players fielded from the first whistle at Darlington were probable options to retain their shirts at Glanford Park. McAllister is likely to spend the coming days re-evaluating his original thoughts.

Leeds were not a picture of ineptitude at the Darlington Arena, but they were dour.

The game as a whole was dour.

The vibrancy that McAllister expected to see was lost in 90 minutes of mediocre football, and the most positive aspect that he and Dave Penney could highlight was the fact that neither defence threatened to concede. In that respect, both men find themselves building from the back with little more than a week remaining before the start of the 2008-09 season.

There were other satisfactory strands to be drawn United's performance –Andy Robinson roamed the field with purpose and quick feet, and David Prutton caught the eye in flashes with his usual energy – but there was little in the team's combined demeanour to convince McAllister that his strategy is virtually complete.

Perhaps, after five previous friendlies and a foreign tour spanning almost two weeks, a jaded evening was inevitable, and bemoaning a performance in pre-season may seem like crying over spilled milk.