TWO men, both fighting it out tooth and nail to become leader. No, not the battle to front the Conservative party, but the fight to be Burnley's top goalscorer.

Ade Akinbiyi and Garreth O'Connor are the two main contenders currently way ahead of their rivals.

And behind the scenes Clarets boss Steve Cotterill is happy to keep stirring the pot in an attempt to keep the duo finding the net.

"Ade and Garreth are having a right ding-dong at the moment and long may it continue," said assistant Dave Kevan.

"I wouldn't say Garreth is giving Ade any stick about it, but I think the gaffer might just be stirring that one up a little bit!

"In the right way though, it's all been good natured and certainly Ade is back on top now."

Scoring the only goal of the game at Leicester on Tuesday gave Akinbiyi breathing space over his closest rival, whose four goals in successive games took his season's tally to six.

But the all-action striker, who ended a four-game barren run with his eighth goal of the campaign, joked he may now have to resort to tumbling in the box to keep O'Connor in the hunt.

"After the Leicester game I said I was going to trying to get him another penalty!" he laughed. "But seriously, Garreth is doing well and banging in the goals.

"Last summer, I thought I was going to be in competition with Gifton, but at the moment it's turned out to be Garreth."

For the Burnley management team, however, the fierce competition means it is a win-win situation.

Kevan added: "Ade is tireless and while he's like that he's occupying defenders. That in itself creates space and maybe a little chance for people like Garreth."