Five weeks and four matches without a victory is not the essence of a sustained drought, and his managerial career saw longer at Coventry City, but time is relative for the ambitious Scot.

* Click here to enjoy a picture slideshow of match action from Leeds United's 1-0 win.

He swept into Elland Road in January with 17 games of the season remaining – weighed down with the instruction from his new employers that promotion was imperative – and three draws and a defeat from his first four matches represented a quarter of McAllister's quota wasted.

The effect of United's form was visible in their deteriorating League One position and a victory over Swindon yesterday bordered on the essential.

McAllister may have argued otherwise, with 12 games left to contest, but Leeds were League One's leaders for two hours on Boxing Day; last weekend they were ninth.

The speed with which the play-offs can out-run a club has been epitomised by United's mammoth backwards step, but a first win in eight matches at the County Ground brought their downturn to an end.

Swindon were the perfect opponents for a team with United's fragile confidence to regain their composure.

United's hosts saw plenty of the ball but were inept when it came to exploiting their possession, and Leeds defended Tresor Kandol's 25th-minute strike in orderly fashion with only the passing scare.

McAllister would have liked a second goal, but it was not a day to be fussy.

The return of Jermaine Beckford from suspension was an undisguised blessing for McAllister, but United's manager was less enamoured by the sight of Stephen O'Halloran limping from the pitch during the pre-match warm-up.

The left-back was one of four changes to United's team, 48 hours after joining Leeds on loan from Aston Villa, but he was helped towards the tunnel by two of the club's medical staff 15 minutes before kick-off, bringing about a reshuffle that McAllister could not have anticipated.

The breach at left-back was filled by Frazer Richardson, who had been named as a substitute in the original squad.

Although the tepid manner of last weekend's 1-1 draw with Crewe Alexandra had necessitated changes, the loss of O'Halloran was a complication that McAllister could have done without.

It was the right side of his defence, however, that failed him in the seventh minute, leaving Casper Ankergren in the firing line.

Darren Kenton was posted missing when a pass from midfield played Christian Roberts into space on Swindon's left wing and the midfielder's pass across goal rolled between Ankergren and Simon Cox as both players attempted to meet it first.

Cox quickly stemmed the threat to Leeds by collecting the loose ball and driving it wastefully against United's goalkeeper from an angle that always favoured Ankergren.

Lee Peacock had driven a volley over the crossbar four minutes earlier, with what was nothing more than a half-chance, and Beckford produced a near-identical finish when David Prutton's free-kick found its way to the striker courtesy of a weak clearance from Peacock.

Swindon's had been the more encouraging start and it was slightly against the run of play that United opened the scoring with the type of clinical attack which has been rarely seen since New Year's Day.

Bradley Johnson's corner was cleared towards Prutton, and the midfielder's delightful cross from 30 yards found Swindon asleep and Kandol in position to head the ball across Phil Smith and into the far corner of the goalkeeper's net.

After 18 matches without a goal, Kandol's second in as many games shone light on the managerial record of McAllister which, before yesterday, stood in a sorry state. It also edged Leeds towards a result their faltering season urgently required.

McAllister's defence was more solid than it had been against Crewe, and his midfield more vibrant.

The infrequent threat towards Ankergren was encouraged more by the occasional dip in concentration than by Swindon's invention, and the intervention of Rui Marques while the defender was lying on his back prevented an equaliser in the 35th minute after Billy Paynter had danced around Richardson.

United's defence was cut open six minutes before the break when Hasney Aljofree diverted Roberts' corner into the six-yard box, but Cox's header over the bar from four yards was as unforgiving as it was woeful.

It was almost possible, though, for Swindon to feel aggrieved by the half-time scoreline.

Their performance continued in the same, persistent vein after the interval, but with few opportunities to show for their effort.

Paynter nodded a free header over the crossbar and Roberts' shot from outside the box sailed beyond Ankergren's post, but Leeds were lively on the counter-attack and referee Chris Foy overlooked a strong appeal for a penalty when Kandol and Miguel Comminges fell beneath each other's weight inside the box.

Prutton then hit the crossbar with a corner which Smith touched with his fingertips, but United relied on a brilliant save from Ankergren to defend their lead with 17 minutes remaining.

His point-blank parry nudged Roberts' volley off the line after Cox's cross bounced through the box, protecting Leeds by the fine margin that Dennis Wise was so fond of talking about when United's season was in full flow before Christmas.

McAllister will hope they are back on that road.