IAN Moore and the FA Cup were made for each other. How else do you explain a remarkable run in the competition that has seen the striker plunder ten goals in 12 games since joining the Clarets?

It's a stunning return that sits at odds with a career goalscoring ratio of one in five in both the Football League and League Cup.

This season alone, two goals were enough to put Mansfield to the sword in round three, while his classy strike on Saturday was a dagger through the heart of the Gills, from which they never recovered.

Robbie Blake duly twisted the knife with two more goals straight out of the top drawer - both with Moore's involvement - to hopefully earn the Clarets the financial lifeline the FA Cup can provide.

And if the pair can keep cutting open First Division defences with similar style, a troubled season could yet end with a smile being put back on the faces of Clarets fans everywhere.

Can there be a more in-form strike pairing anywhere else in the country at present? In Burnley's last 12 games in all competitions, Moore and Blake have added 16 goals to their joint tally, which already stands at a noteworthy 28 in 33 games.

Blake may lead the way with a 17-goal haul that equals his best-ever seasonal total with almost half the campaign still remaining.

But Moore's is now on 11 and well on course to beat his own previous best of 14 to set a new standard.

As manager Stan Ternent admitted: "Ian is on fire at the moment. He had a fantastic match and rightly got the man of the match award. He and Robbie have scored a lot of goals between them this season - and long may it continue."

Absoutely - but there is much more than just goals to admire in Turf Moor's joint record signings. Where Blake provides the individual moments of skill that illuminate a dour afternoon, Moore relentlessly breathes down defenders necks to instil panic.

And while Blake uses quick feet to earn an extra yard of space, jet-heeled Moore creates his own by leaving defenders trailing hopelessly in his wake.

It's proving an effective combination - one that unfortunately will be broken up when the Gills return in a fortnight due to Blake picking up his fifth booking of the season for dissent in the dying seconds on Saturday.

But that leaves Moore to pick up the baton and run with it. And in this form, Gills player-boss Andy Hessenthaler will be spending the next fortnight trying to conjure up some way of combating the threat.

Moore's opening goal, on the half hour mark, was breathtaking in its execution as the Clarets took control of the FA Cup tie.

Mo Camara opened up his legs in a trademark gallop down the left flank, and for the first time in some time delivered a cross of the highest order.

Moore had read things perfectly and in a flash beat marker Barry Ashby to power home a header from eight yards.

That lit the blue touchpaper after a tortuous opening 30 minutes, memorable only for a 'cultured' Ashby clearance that cleared - yes, cleared the Bob Lord Stand roof to land in Harry Potts Way for the first time in living memory!

But the goal knocked the stuffing out of the visitors - and for five minutes they literally tried to knock Burnley out of their cocky stride.

Tommy Johnson, then Darius Henderson and Hessenthaler, all ended up in Mr Laws' notebook for clattering the Clarets with tackles later than a Virgin train.

And from the second of those fouls, when Henderson decked Moore 25 yards from goal, Blake exacted revenge of the sweetest kind with a contender for goal of the season.

Third-choice keeper Bertrand Bossu was still orchestrating a two-man wall on the right side of his penalty area when Blake - as only Blake can - nonchalantly whipped the ball round the right side of the wall and curled it in off the post with Bossu a grim-faced admirer.

It must have been good - even Match of the Day gave it a second replay later in the evening!

Gillingham tried to rally as they recovered their composure. And seven minutes before the break, Brian Jensen stuck out an ankle to deny Henderson following a sweet-one-two with Johnson on the edge of the Burnley box.

And as the half time whistle blew, it was Clarets boss Stan Ternent who lost his cool in a public row with the referee over some of the Gills strong-arm tactics.

That led to Ternent being sent to the stand for the second half, where alongside chairman Barry Kilby he watched as Ian Moore spurned an instant chance to stretch the lead.

Holding off Chris Hope's attentions, he opted for placement rather than power and saw Bossu make a routine save low to his right.

But in the 64th minute, after Gillingham began to throw caution to the wind in desperation, it really was game, set and match to Ternent's troops following another magnificent goal.

Jensen started the move with a quick throw out to Little in midfield. He fed Alan Moore in the centre circle and the Irish wide man, making his first start in five months, threaded a lovely ball out wide to namesake Ian.

Moore swept forwards down the right and delivered a perfect low ball across the six yard box that Blake had read to perfection to slam the ball past Bossu.

Gillingham earned scant reward 19 minutes form time as Jensen spilled sub Kevin James cross at the feet of Henderson, who swivelled to fire home only the second goal Burnley have conceded in their last four games.

Unbeaten in 2004 thanks to a mean defence and a menacing attack. It's a winning combination - and if that doesn't being the fans back, nothing will!

BURNLEY 3

I Moore 30, Blake 32, 64

GILLINGHAM 1

Henderson 71

Turf Moor Att: 9,735