FIVE million pounds buys you a lot of striker. But Burnley are quickly finding that a cut-price £600,000 buys you Version Two; the new, improved Ade Akinbiyi.

Roars of approval from the Turf Moor fans must be music to the ears of someone who endured a nightmare at Leicester after manager Peter Taylor staked a club record fee on the striker's reputation five years ago.

Thirteen goals in 67 games was scant reward for a player whose transfer fee eventually began to weigh heavily on broad shoulders.

So when Akinbiyi equalled that goalscoring tally for his new club in just 29 games to put Taylor's Hull City to the sword last night, old wounds were re-opened.

Yet the Tigers boss insisted: "In a strange way Ade is one player I don't mind getting a little bit of applause. He is a great pro and a good lad, even though I'd like to punch his lights out! Unfortunately he is bigger than me and stronger than me."

Taylor added: "Ade scored 10 in his first season at Leicester and I thought everything was going well, but in the end the pressure was too much for him and he suffered.

"He suffered again at Crystal Palace but it's obvious he is happy here now, so that is great for Steve (Cotterill) and for Burnley."

Akinbiyi's immense contribution to Burnley cannot be measured in pound notes alone. A goal virtually every other game has made him a firm favourite in both the dressing room and the stands.

And the well-travelled striker had everyone connected with the club purring following his best strike yet, which propelled the Clarets six places up the Championship table to occupy 11th position - their highest placing since Akinbiyi arrived in February.

There was hardly a half-chance when he received the ball chest high on the edge of the City box.

But with a deft touch to the left and a quick swivel of the shoulders, Akinbiyi found just enough room to power a right-footed volley back across keeper Boaz Myhill and into the far corner.

It was a strike worthy of winning any game. Yet Burnley had another hero at the opposite end of the pitch to thank for their hard-earned victory.

Brian Jensen has hardly had a save of note to make in recent weeks, despite some up and down results. But the Danish stopper more than made up for lost time with a trio of stunning saves.

And he saved the best until last - justifying the match sponsors' man of the match award by magnificently turning aside Stuart Elliott's half volley with just eight seconds of added-on time remaining.

It was a great night for the great Dane.

Jensen made the first contribution early in the game when he flung himself to the left to parry Ryan France's diving header for a corner.

And by half time he had helped preserve a precious lead with another instinctive save at the feet of France.

In between, it was a fitful performance from the Clarets, which Steve Cotterill attributed to their third game in six gruelling days.

The Clarets boss would have wanted a high-tempo start but despite a few flurries, with Garreth O'Connor and Micah Hyde both failing to find the target from distance, the hosts struggled to find forward momentum.

But Akinbiyi's strike on 28 minutes, following a sweeping four-man move that began with Jensen throwing the ball out to skipper Frank Sinclair, changed all that.

Suddenly, Burnley found another gear and after Akinbiyi and Garreth O'Connor had gone close, the second goal should have arrived.

Michael Duff's cross from the right caused confusion and Myhill's unnecessary rush from goal saw the ball slip from his grasp and straight to Garreth O'Connor, who caressed the ball just wide of a gaping goal with the goalkeeper prone and hopelessly out of position.

Opposite number Jensen's tremendous block, when Stuart Elliott's miscued shot fell to the unmarked France at the far post, allowed the Turf Moor crowd to breathe easier during the break.

Burnley made one tactical chance at the break, Gifton Noel-Williams replacing John Spicer to offer more support to the hard-working Akinbiyi.

And the substitute almost had an immediate effect, diving full length to head Elliott's deep cross just over the angle.

But a strange lapse by John Harley five minutes later almost undid all of Burnley's hard work. The right back inexplicably turned back towards goal 40 yards out and was dispossessed by Chris Brown, who lacked the conviction to beat Jensen with a delayed shot.

Northern Ireland international Elliott was becoming a real thorn in Burnley's side and he was a whisker away from equalising just before the hour mark with a vicious drive from the corner of the box that smacked the top of the crossbar with Jensen beaten.

Yet despite their fatigue, Burnley really should have wrapped things up before Hull made it such a nervous finale.

Noel-Williams somehow headed Elliott's delicious cross wide before Keith Lowe, again deputising for John McGreal, drilled a shot on the turn just over.

Garreth O'Connor then atypically blazed another effort over before City began to exert late pressure on the Burnley goal.

Hearts were in mouths when Stuart Elliott, under pressure from Michael Duff, stuck out a boot five minutes from time to loop the ball over Jensen, only for the ball to drop just off target.

And there was almost a controversial ending when, nearly five minutes into the three added-on minutes, Jensen saved the day with his magnificent save from Elliott.