GOALKEEPER Tom Heaton has labelled Burnley’s strike partnership of Danny Ings and Sam Vokes ‘unplayable’.

The duo took their combined tally to 11 this season in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Leeds with Vokes’ fourth in eight Championship games proving decisive.

The strike pair will look to transfer their form into the Capital One Cup tonight, at home to Nottingham Forest (kick-off 7.45pm).

But while Heaton feels they are good enough to expose weaknesses in any defence, he believes back-up from other areas of the pitch has been just as crucial in Burnley’s bright start to the season.

“Ingsy and Vokesy as a partnership have been superb and to be honest I can only see it getting better,” said the Clarets keeper.

“When those two are on fire, as they have been for the majority of the season so far, they’re almost unplayable at this level.

“That’s obviously a great start, but on top of that there are other people chipping in.

“Junior’s goal against Blackburn was Champions League standard of a goal – on his wrong foot as well, Scott Arfield got a great header (against Birmingham) and another good goal on Saturday.

“You look at Keith Treacy who’s come in, Ross before he was injured, there are goals there.

“Deano (Dean Marney) and Jonesy (David Jones) have also got goals in them so hopefully it’s not going to be an issue in terms of going forward.”

And Heaton praised the defensive platform which offered the forwards the chance to play.

“It is great to play in a team that are going to convert chances because it’s important, especially in the Championship,” he added.

“No matter how big you are or how good the team is, in my experience teams are always going to have an opportunity in the game and you need to score some goals in a game to get something out of it.

“That’s why it’s so good to have the decent defensive base that we’ve certainly got here. You can use that as a solid foundation, plus we’ve got goals in the team and that’s part and parcel of why we’ve been successful so far.”

Burnley have been given permission by Stoke City to play on-loan winger Michael Kightly in the cup, but they are expected to be forced into at least one change tonight, with David Jones set to miss the third round cup clash through injury.

The midfielder was carried off after being wounded against Leeds at the weekend.

Jones did not require stitches to the cut, on the inside of his ankle. It is expected to heal naturally.

But manager Sean Dyche is planning to be without the 28-year-old.

“He’s recovering well but this game will probably come too soon for him,” said the Burnley boss.

“It’s settled down from the weekend and we’re not thinking there’s any serious damage other than a nasty cut and a knock. There’s nothing too drastic we don’t feel.

“You fear the worst when the stretcher comes out, and to be fair he’s an honest lad, but maybe the jolt and shock of it numbs you, but we’re pretty sure that thankfully there’s no major damage.

“It could have been stitched but they left it in the end because the doctors decided it would probably heal better without.”