CHRIS Wood believes his blossoming relationship with Ashley Barnes is helping both players hit their stride.

The Burnley pair have scored nine goals between them in Burnley's seven-game unbeaten Premier League run.

Both were on target against their former club Brighton in a 3-1 win at the Amex Stadium with Wood netting a brace and Barnes converting a penalty.

And the New Zealand international, who has nine goals for the season in all competitions, is enjoying playing alongside the 29-year-old.

“We get on very well. We were at Brighton together and there’s where the relationship started,” said Wood.

“We have just carried that through. We seem to have a good bond together and play up top very nicely and it was nice we were both on the score sheet.”

The duo are now Sean Dyche's first choice starting strikers following the departure of Sam Vokes to Stoke City, with new signing Peter Crouch providing an option off the bench.

The pair will expect to keep their place for the visit of Tottenham Hotspur to Turf Moor a week on Saturday with the Clarets without a game this weekend owing to the FA Cup.

And despite a recent revival in form, Wood knows Burnley must keep gathering points if they are to ensure top flight survival.

“There’s a lot of hard and training effort that’s coming out on the pitch and that’s what we need to keep doing for the rest of the season," said Wood, speaking after the win at Brighton which lifted Burnley to 15th in the table, three points clear of the drop zone.

On the display against Chris Hughton's Seagulls, who are now only above the Clarets on goal difference, the 27-year-old added: "It was a good performance. Coming here is always tough but we showed we can fight and grind it out.

“They put us under a lot of pressure at times, but it’s a big win at this stage of the season.

“It’s going to be a long end to the season and a tough one. We have to keep fighting and we need to keep pushing on.

“It’s back to the Burnley we should be and we need to keep that going."