HAMMERS striker Carlton Cole has seen his career take a drastic upward turn in the space of two weeks.

Having been asked to step into the considerable shoes of Dean Ashton following the forward's long-term injury last year, Cole had struggled to justify his place at the head of a misfiring attack.

But a new year has brought a new dawn for the former Chelsea man, and he now stands as the team's leading goalscorer with four goals in as many matches, taking his tally for the season to eight.

After a barren run in front of goal the 25-year-old undertook careful analysis of his performances, and he admitted that he was not getting himself into enough scoring positions. But after taking stock, he has now found his place in the team and is firing on all cylinders.

Indeed, after his latest strike in the 2-2 draw with Newcastle United – a rasping volley into the roof of the net – Cole was attracting glowing assessments from his manager. “The boy Carlton Cole’s on fire,” said a jubilant Gianfranco Zola. “His confidence is back. He’s always been playing very well for the team but now he’s focused and dangerous all of the time. It’s a great thing for him because he’s got a lot of qualities which are coming out quite well.”