With a delicious sense of timing, Leicester City delivered the perfect riposte to their detractors and dispelled a few myths along the way. A towering header from the stand-in striker Matt Elliott in first-half stoppage time steered Leicester to a Wembley date with Tranmere Rovers and the prospect of a seventh appearance beneath the twin towers in eight years.

They may have been written off in some quarters, but Martin O’Neill’s gallant side just love upsetting their illustrious counterparts. Last night they produced a performance of industry, endeavour and, yes, no shortage of skill.

Villa arrived with something of an inferiority complex, having failed to beat their Midlands neighbours in 12 years. They also faced the added challenge posed by a Leicester side bristling with fierce indignation, following an acrimonious bout of mud slinging between O’Neill and an anti-Leicester faction boasting Ken Bates and Arséne Wenger among its honorary members.

John Gregory is surely up for election himself after some of his barbed remarks about Leicester’s much-criticised defensive methods during the scoreless first leg at Villa Park a week earlier. However, those acquainted with Leicester know only too well that they are never better than at times of adversity.

As is his wont, O’Neill could not resist taking a few more pot shots at his detractors in his programme notes, and his players exuded a stubborn air of defiance in obliging Gregory’s wish that “they would actually cross the halfway line”.

Leicester’s critics were almost made to eat their words early in a one-sided opening half, only for Emile Heskey to shoot straight at David James after being given a clear sight of goal thanks to Gareth Barry’s mistake.

James then followed up his colleague’s faux pas with one of his own that came close to presenting Robbie Savage with an open goal. Villa’s jitters were becoming increasingly evident as they struggled to suppress the usual succession of rampaging bursts from a bullish Heskey.

When Stefan Oakes arrowed a venomous left-foot drive that beat James all ends up - only to ricochet back into play off the goalkeeper’s right-hand post - Leicester could have been excused for suspecting that fate was against them.

But the home side did not have to wait long. In virtually the last move of the half Savage swung over a right-wing delivery for Elliott to head beyond James, despite the close proximity of Ugo Ehiogu.

Leicester’s goalkeeper Tim Flowers, in stark contrast to James, was a virtual spectator apart from sporadic flurries in the second half. The home supporters were determined to milk the moment with chants of “boring, boring Villa”, and there was more than a hint of sarcasm when Leicester’s half-time summariser and occasional jester Alan Birchenall exclaimed he had been almost “sent to sleep” by the events of the opening period.

But whether the club’s bank manager was so chuffed by the side’s survival in this competition was another matter. Leicester have reached a provisional agreement with Liverpool to sell Heskey for £7 million at the end of the season, but the Merseyside club have made it clear during fresh negotiations that they are willing to increase the transfer fee to push the deal through early once the player is free of cup involvement.

Thanks to the events of last night, that will not be the case until after February 27 - when Leicester and Tranmere do battle for a slice of Wembley glory.