DEAN West and Paul Harsley are hardly likely to cross paths tomorrow afternoon as they patrol opposite flanks from their wing-back berths.

But the two are both key players for their sides, having been ever-presents so far and missing only one minute of action between them as a result of Harsley's late substitution at Stoke last week.

Both players are asked to do similar jobs by their managers on the right-hand side of a three-man central defence with a licence to get forward.

West has the edge in terms of experience but local lad Harsley, who started his career at Grimsby Town, was a regular in Scunthorpe's promotion-winning side last season and is rated as a decent prospect at Glanford Park.

Keen to attack, Opta's statistics show that he has had nine efforts at goal this season although is yet to score, compared with West's four goalless attempts. Twenty-one-year-old Harsley has made 299 passes with a 70 per cent success rate, while West's completion rate is slightly lower at 62 per cent of 277 passes.

West took a few games to find his feet at Burnley following his summer move from Bury but has since put together a string of decent performances.

Although Glen Little often does the attacking job in front of him, West has provided valuable support to the Clarets front line in home games.

That is reflected by the number of crosses he has made, his 25 being almost double Harsley's total, and he has also run with the ball more than his Scunthorpe counterpart though with a lower completion rate, 16 per cent compared with 50.

Harsley has made more tackles, 20 to 13, but West's blocking rate is phenomenal in helping Burnley concede only four goals in 10 League games - his number one job at Turf Moor.

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