The 2022/2023 FUFA Big League season is growing tighter as teams vie for promotion to the top flight on the three available slots while others are fighting relegation off the four last positions that will see the drop.

And as the promotion and relegation battle heats up right before the season hits the middle, the race for the golden boot has also shot the competition curve.

The tough run is evidenced by the fact that the leading scorer has already scored 14 goals in 13 of 30 matches, compared to last season and the other, where Fred Amaku won the golden boot with 15 goals and Clinton Kamugisha with 13 respectively.

Matchday 13 on Thursday saw former Uganda Cranes striker Patrick Kaddu score his 14th goal of the season as his Kitara FC was held to a 1-1 draw by hosts Soroti City in Soroti, the result that kept Mark Twinamatsiko’s side on top of the log with 27 points for a better goal difference on NEC that beat Lugazi 1-0 to go to 27 points too.

However, Kaddu’s quest for the prestigious accolade that comes with a 1m shillings cash, is closely challenged by Booma’s Denis Omedi whose brace moved him to second on the top scorers chat with 13 goals, leap frogging Mbarara’s City’s Henry Kitegenyi (12) who did not score in his side’s 2-2 draw against Adjumani Town Council.

Omedi’s brace was not enough for his side as they fell 3-2 to visiting Calvary, but the striker has established himself as a consistent net buster even when his side that seats 9th on the table with 15 points.

The three front runners are followed by Luagazi’s Gerald Ogweti who has 9 goals and did not score in his side’s 1-0 loss to NEC while Calvary’s Dickens Kilama scored once to add to Michael Khedi’s brace as his side beat Booma 3-2 for him to go to join Kitara’s Edson Agondeze on 8 goals.

Marvin Kavuma who is leading National Enterprise Corporation's (NEC) quest for first national league promotion, has scored 7 goals so far.

It will be Patrick Kaddu’s second 2nd tier top scorer’s accolade which he won with Maroons in the 2016/2017 season.

Last season, striker Fred Amaku of promoted Maroons took the accolade with 15 goals while Clinton Kamugisha formerly of Nyamityobora FC now at Kitara FC emerged as the winner with 13 goals to join the likes of Ivan Bogere (Proline FC), Dickens Okwir (Paidha Black Angels FC), Patrick Kaddu (Maroons), Edrisa Lubega (Proline) and Fred Kalanzi (Lweza FC).

FUFA Big League leading scorers after 13 matches

14 - Patrick Kaddu (Kitara)

13 - Denis Omedi (Booma FC)

12- Henry Kitegenyi (Mbarara City)

9 - Gerald Ogweti (Lugazi FC)

8- Edson Agondeze-Kitara

8 - Dickens Kilama (Calvary)

7 - Kavuma Marvin (NEC FC)