In direct competition, make for cape (4-2-4)
I believe the answer is:
head-to-head
'in direct competition' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'make for cape' is the wordplay.
'make for' becomes 'head to' (to make for somewhere is to head there).
'cape' becomes 'head' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'headto'+'head'='HEAD-TO-HEAD'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for head-to-head that I've seen before include "Confrontational conversation" , "In direct competition" .)