MARC Pugh set his sights on outgunning fellow hotshot Wes Thomas in the battle for goalscoring bragging rights after ending his nine-match drought.

The mercurial winger has racked up an impressive 10 goals and 10 assists in 33 appearances for Cherries this season.

Pugh and striker Thomas are neck and neck in the duel for Cherries’ golden boot after both moved into double figures in the 2-1 win over Tranmere on Saturday.

Speaking ahead of tonight’s League One clash at Chesterfield (7.45pm), Pugh revealed the duo were each determined to finish top of the club’s charts.

The former Hereford United star said: “I try to set my standards as high as possible and I want to score goals.

“It is great to get double figures. I was on nine for a while and it seemed to last for ages – it was nine games – but I feel there is a lot more to come now.

“Wes is scoring goals and playing really well so it is just good to be involved with the strikers in trying to win the golden boot.

“I have got 10 goals and 10 assists so far this season and I am delighted with my form.

“Hopefully, it is onwards and upwards and we are challenging for the play-offs now, which is great.”

Pugh added: “It is always nice to get as many goals as you can.

“It would be nice for me to finish top scorer, also with Wes.

“But the most important thing is we are picking up the points.

“I am really enjoying it and I am sure Wes will want to score more goals than me this season.”

Meanwhile, Harry Arter, who is the next best Cherries goal-getter with six, insists Lee Bradbury’s men cannot afford to be complacent against basement boys Chesterfield.

Previewing the trip to the new b2net stadium, the midfielder told the Daily Echo: “We expect to win but that is not in a disrespectful sort of way – we expect to win every game.

“With our away form, we have beaten the likes of Huddersfield, who are probably going to go up.

“So, of course, we look at Chesterfield and think we have got to win, but we can’t take that for granted.

“Against Walsall, we probably did take that for granted in the first half and they deservedly went in 2-0 up.

“We had to battle and we did get it back. If we start how we did in the second half at Walsall from the start against Chesterfield, I think we will give ourselves a good chance.”

Unbeaten in 11 league matches on the road, Cherries are edging closer to equalling a club record, which stands at 13 away games without defeat, set under Bill McGarry in 1961.