Akinbiyi is a godsend

Is the new Pope Catholic?

Last night's heavenly brace took Akinbiyi's tally to four goals in six starts since signing from Stoke City.

And God-like status is there for the taking if the striker can build on what has now officially become a prolific start to his Clarets' career.

How Steve Cotterill has needed someone to find the net on a regular basis since Robbie Blake opted to warm the bench at Birmingham in January.

And in little more than a month, Akinbiyi has shaken off his winter of discontent to look more like the player Steve Cotterill was prepared to lay a precious £600,000 on the line for.

"In the last couple of games he has started to be more like the Ade I know," insisted the Burnley boss, who lured the striker from the Potteries while he was nursing an injury.

"He is an absolute man-mountain and if he doesn't get to train for a couple of months, it's hard to get someone of that bulk going again.

"But he is getting better and he will definitely benefit from the games between now and the end of the season."

Akinbiyi also seems to be carving out a rather useful telepathy with the rejuvenated Graham Branch, whose confidence levels seem to be rising on a par.

Ex-Clarets striker Andy Payton hit the nail on the head in his Lancashire Evening Telegraph column only yesterday, insisting his former team-mate deserves more credit for undertaking whatever role the manager has in mind.

There was again much to admire in Branch's gutsy display on the left side, where he was never afraid to shirk his defensive duties while always looking to be an attacking outlet.

And for the second time in a matter of days, it was Branch who ghosted into the penalty area to use his aerial ability to provide Akinbiyi with a carbon-copy of the goal he scored to open his Turf Moor account in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Brighton.

That goal came just two minutes before the break to settle the nerves against a Rangers side missing TEN first-team squad members through injury and suspension.

That left manager Ian Holloway having to throw several youngsters in at the deep end, while naming a bench of five rookies without a single minute of first team action between them.

Yet the teenagers did their manager proud by competing for everything and, arguably, shading the opening 45 minutes against a full-strength Clarets side.

Much of the shooting left a lot to be desired in that opening half, although Micah Hyde came close to getting Burnley off to the best of starts with a rasping 30-yard effort that keeper Chris Day nervously palmed for a corner.

Evergreen striker Kevin Gallen, who was enjoying his first spell at Loftus Road while some of his team-mates were wearing nappies, then tried his luck with a wicked free kick that flashed just wide of the post.

After Dean Bowditch then fired over, Rangers midfielder Lee Cook came even closer than Gallen with a dipping 40-yard volley that took a coat of paint off Brian Jensen's right hand upright.

And thankfully, Burnley centre backs Gary Cahill and John McGreal were both at their imperious best as the visitors sought to capitalise on some scrappy Burnley possession.

However, there was nothing scrappy about the wonderfully executed goal that finally broke the deadlock at a critical juncture.

Cahill was coolness personified as he advanced into enemy territory before angling a diagonal ball into the box, where Branch powered a header perfectly into Akinbiyi's path for the striker to provide the deja-vu finish.

Branch was a whisker away from doubling the lead straight from the restart, using the overlapping Mo Camara as a decoy and cutting inside only to fire inches over.

However, it then took a remarkable reflex save from Jensen to deny Rangers an equaliser at around the same time that Brighton grabbed their lifeline last weekend.

Gallen's free-kick from just outside the box flew took a wicked deflection off the wall that left the Dane totally wrong-footed.

However, Jensen somehow reacted to the daisy-cutter and stretched every sinew to smother the ball on the goalline.

Rangers' injury crisis deepened further midway through the second half when midfield battler Marc Bircham was stretchered off with knee and ankle trouble.

That meant a fifth debut of the night in the shape of Scott Mulholland, and as Rangers tried to reorganise, the Clarets almost took full advantage.

Branch, now with some of the swagger of old, carved a path straight through the middle before being fouled 35-yards out.

Step forward the ever-willing Camara, with a cultured, curling free kick that kissed the outside of Day's post.

Jensen again came to Burnley's rescue in the final quarter as Jamie Cureton for once slipped Cahill's shackles.

But minutes later, as if to underline that save's value, Akinbiyi allowed the hosts to breathe easier by wrapping up the points with a picture-book goal.

James O'Connor found Camara with a delicious ball inside makeshift right back Richard Edghill and the galloping Guinean took one touch before firing the ball hard and low across the six-yard box.

There was the predator, perfectly placed to slide the inch-perfect cross high into the net before wheeling away in delight.

Akinbiyi received more rapturous applause when he was substituted in the closing moments with his job well done.

And if the goals keep coming, the acclaim is sure to follow.