Carlton Cole is planning to fire West Ham United to FA Cup glory after scoring his third goal in three games in the 3-0 third round win over Barnsley.
The 25-year-old headed in Herita Ilunga's cross to complete a comfortable victory at the Boleyn Ground - the first time he had scored in three consecutive matches since turning out for a Chelsea youth team coached by Steve Clarke. Having discovered his scoring touch, Cole wants to keep up the good work by helping the club at least emulate the achievement of 2006 by reaching the FA Cup final.
That match saw West Ham United play out a thrilling 3-3 draw with Liverpool before going down 3-1 on penalties. Despite the defeat, the striker said the memories of reaching the final of the world's most famous cup competition were still cherished in east London.
"This is a competition that is definitely winnable for us. We were in the final just a few years ago against Liverpool - the year before I joined the club - and everyone is still buzzing off that at the club. I want to be involved in such a massive part of the club's history myself one day.
"It's not always the top-four that get into the finals - even Millwall got there a few years ago. Cup ties are the sort of games where you have to grind out a result and you need a bit of luck to get to the final."
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola lifted the FA Cup twice during his playing career - alongside Clarke in 1997 - and Cole would love to match 'Mister' by raising the trophy aloft at Wembley on 30 May.
"He has mentioned his FA Cup wins. He said he knows how it feels and has been there in the final and won it. He wants to pass on that kind of pleasure to us and that's what we're trying to achieve."
While Cole is dreaming of FA Cup glory, the former England Under-21 forward was also delighted to see Kieron Dyer make a successful comeback to first team action against the Tykes. The 30-year-old made his first appearance since breaking his leg in a League Cup tie at Bristol Rovers in August 2007. Dyer's late cameo, which saw the England man clip the crossbar with a spectacular volley, excited both the home crowd and team-mate Cole.
"He's been training brilliantly. Touch wood, I've never had an injury like that in my career but he's done so well to fight and get back to full fitness and full flow. Hopefully he's now going to come into the team and do well for us. He's such a good player and he reads the game so well. He's up there with the best players I've ever played with and I'm so grateful he's back because he'll be a great asset to the club.
"He's a brand new signing, there's no doubt about that. Full credit to him because he's worked so hard to get fit and he looked really sharp when he came on and had a couple of shots. I'm so happy for him. I congratulated him after the game and said 'Welcome back' and he's buzzing."
Cole himself is also buzzing after hitting the back of the net in three consecutive matches for the first time in a decade - a fact he was reminded of in jest by Clarke. The Croydon-born hitman wants to keep impressing the first team coach by continuing his recent run of fine goalscoring form.
"I score different goals in training but that's on the training field. All the managers I've worked with and players I've played with know that I can score goals but that's on the training pitch and I'm trying to convert that on to the field. Clarkey said to me after the game 'That's the first time you've scored three goals in three games since I was your youth team manager so our partnership is obviously working again!' He was making it a humorous thing but it's important for me to keep on going now.
"I'm not even looking at it being three goals in three games. I've missed a lot of opportunities and should have got more. I just feel like I've got to try and get better."