Leicester City 1 - 0 Sunderland

	Stefan Schwarz and Muzzy Izzet battle for the ball (RossKinnaird/Allsport)

Now is not the time to dwell on compelling evidence that his partnership with Trevor Benjamin has the richest comic potential since Ernie Wise was introduced to Eric Morecambe.

Sunderland were abject, Leicester barely competent. But strikers are judged by their goals, not their grace. Akinbiyi's first in the League for 203 days had the rarity value of a Rembrandt.

Here, for history's sake, is the sequence of events which unfolded at precisely 1.21 yesterday, on a bright, mild, autumnal afternoon.

Lee Marshall headed down a short corner. Matt Elliot knocked it on. Akinbiyi's shot on the half turn from the edge of the six-yard box rebounded back to him off defender Emerson Thome.

He instinctively swung his right foot and, before we knew it, the side panel of the net was bulging. The fans, who have subjected him to relentless abuse as Leicester's season has subsided, had a collective memory loss.

'Ade, Ade,' they sang. But the man himself was otherwise engaged, removing his shirt as he stampeded, eyes and biceps bulging in unison, down the touchline.

He sought out Dave Bassett, the manager who may yet succumb to the logic of selling him back to Wolves for around half of the £5million he cost Peter Taylor, 16 months ago.

'If I could have paid £10,000 to get him that goal, I would,' said Bassett, whose team, according to conventional wisdom, should be playing home matches in Lourdes, rather than Leicester.

'It takes guts to go out there when there's every chance that 22,000 people will slaughter you. Ade's been smashed from pillar to post, been called all sorts of names. That's how we treat people these days.'

Akinbiyi maintained his dignity, resisted the temptation to retaliate. His self-justification had a poignant intensity that carried hints of private despair.

He insisted: 'I always said the goal was going to come. People have been talking about me missing chances, but I knew they could not break me. I've been written off, but I'm never going to hide.'

His earnestness explains his popularity with his team-mates. As Micky Adams, the impressive young coach who assists Bassett, said: 'He's a personable young man, a willing worker. We're asking him to be nice and relaxed, to enjoy his football. We're saying, "let's see your pearly whites"

That managerial mantra is rather like despatching a bull into the ring, in the expectation it will enjoy the brief release before the inevitable denouement.

Our old friends the bookmakers can be relied upon for a more reliable reality check. Setting Akinbiyi's odds on scoring the first goal at 9-1 might have been a costly mistake - substitute Jamie Scowcroft was 7-1 - but it was an understandable one.

Appearances do not deceive. Akin-biyi has the willingness, and the subtlety, of an elderly dray horse.He would be effective lower down the leagues, where finesse is an optional extra.

The supporting cast was dire. Dennis Wise led with a stiff arm. Robbie Savage, whose histrionics resulted in Jason McAteer receiving an undeserved booking, gave his usual impression of a leading lady.

Benjamin's first chance, squandered spectacularly, was a cameo of barely believable incompetence. Sent clear by the hapless fumblings of Stanislav Varga, he miscontrolled the ball off his knee and thigh. Given a second opportunity by the complementary hesitation of the Sunderland defence, he had a half-hit shot blocked.

That set the standard. Kevin Phillips missed two acceptable chances, and Julio Arca contrived to sidefoot a simple shot into the side netting. Sunderland manager Peter Reid was apoplectic.

The sight of Bassett scribbling on a piece of unblemished A4 prompted the unworthy thought that he was composing a begging letter.

Confronted by the economics of the madhouse - Akinbiyi's market rate is a weekly salary of £15,000 - Bassett might feel more comfortable in a straitjacket, rather than a track-suit.

Leicester have no money to invest in survival. Since Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis has evidently decided prudence is the best policy, the option of raising around £6million by selling Muzzy Izzet is less promising.

Bassett endured midweek scouting missions in Portugal and Italy, and hopes to persuade Home Office officials that Chinese striker Zhang Yuning has international credibility. The agents are hovering, like flies over a cowpat.

'It's amazing, when you're out of work, you never hear from them,' said Bassett.

'They're probably counting their bank balances. Once you're back, they're never off the phone, trying to sell you Brazilians with Italian passports, and Romanians you vaguely remember from five years ago.

'I'll speak to Ade during the international break. I'm not entirely convinced that leaving Leicester is the best idea for him.