Beckford produced an ice-cool 78th-minute finish to salvage a point and also laid claim to United's opener which was officially awarded to Rovers' defender Steve Elliott, who deflected the prolific forward's shot into his own net on five minutes.

A fresh round of transfer speculation swirled around Beckford ahead of today's closure of the transfer window – with Charlton rumoured to be ready to table a beat-the-deadline bid.

But United dismissed the talk as "pure speculation" and Beckford's agent also scotched the suggestion.

On the predatory prowess of Beckford, Whites boss McAllister said: "What he produced is what he brings to a football match.

"It only takes a split second for him to produce a bit of magic and his finishing was top-drawer.

"I'm just trying to emphasise where he can actually go with his game and what he can achieve.

"Sometimes he does drift a little bit, but we'll continue to work with him and try and improve him.

"He's got to get better at certain aspects of his game, but we know if we can get any decent ball through to him – in one-on-one's or balls across the face of goal – he's capable of all sorts of different finishes."

Meanwhile, Beckford's agent Nick Rubery confirmed the striker is happy at Elland Road and rubbished the latest gossip over the frontman's future. On the Charlton link, Rubery said: "I've seen it and, to be honest, know nothing about it whatsoever. If Charlton were interested, I think I'd know about it by now…I'd be really surprised if there was anything it.

"I spoke to Jermaine after the (Bristol Rovers) game and he's happy.

"You never know, if someone puts in a bid that Leeds are willing to accept, it would give him something to think about. But, at the minute, he's nothing to think about and is concentrating on just Leeds. That's the top and bottom of it."

United have also poured cold water on reports linking former boss Dennis Wise – executive director of football at Newcastle – with a raid on his old club to sign starlets Fabian Delph, Tom Elliott and Luke Garbett.

Any activity before the end of the transfer window is expected to be outward bound but is more likely to involve fringe players.

Peter Sweeney is understood to have been in talks with League One rivals MK Dons while the futures of Seb Carole and Ian Westlake could also be resolved.

McAllister admitted he was far from happy at his troops' one-point haul against Rovers, with the Whites now having collected just 19 points from a possible 42 at Elland Road in 2008.

Their last home clean sheet in the league was back on March 29, and the Whites boss was left to rue two "sloppy" defensive howlers which denied his men maximum points against Rovers.

He said: "I thought we threw everything at it for the whole game. I would like to see the possession percentages – I thought we dominated the game from minute one right through to the 94th minute.

"But we switched off for two vital moments and that's something that's becoming a wee bit of a habit.

"Dave Lucas hasn't had to touch the ball apart from lifting it out of the net. And against Oldham, Casper's (Ankergren) only two contacts with the ball were picking it out of the net.

"To be dominating and having so much possession and be only sitting here with a point, we're not happy.

"We need just a wee bit more quality in the final third, which we're continually working at."

McAllister elected to keep faith with David Lucas in goal, with regular No.1 Casper Ankergren missing his first game since early February.

He said: "Competition is fierce. I thought Lucas was excellent against Crystal Palace and on Thursday and Friday in training he was on fire.

"Casper responded well and I had a real headache right up to kick-off."