It is often said that big things come in small packages, and this certainly seems to be the case when it comes to the diminutive yet irrepressible Ian Coke.

The Boulevard forward has gone from strength to strength since recovering from an early-season injury and is showing no signs of slowing down.

On Sunday, he bagged a second hat-trick of the season to guide Boulevard to an emphatic 6-2 demolition of Somerset Trojans, the Premier Division and Friendship Trophy champions, in the first round of the FA Cup.

“It’s a big win for us,” Coke said. “They [Trojans] have had the best of us, but it actually feels good to finally be on top of them for once.

“We have played them about four times this season and it feels good to beat them — especially on home turf in front of our own fans.”

Trojans had no answer for Coke’s movement on and off the ball and clinical finishing, which suggest the Boulevard player is back to his best heading into the business end of the season.

Coke was sidelined for six weeks with an ankle injury suffered in a league match away to PHC last October.

“I’m just coming off the injury and it has been challenging,” said Coke, whose 22 goals last season led Boulevard to the First Division title and promotion. “I have been putting in the extra work behind the scenes since coming back from injury, which is starting to pay off.”

Coke, who has notched eight goals in all competitions this season, completed his hat-trick against Somerset at Police Field on Sunday with a firmly struck effort from 20 yards that gave goalkeeper Tariq Brown no chance at the far post. It was a goal worthy of any highlight reel.

Coke and his team-mates will now turn their attention back to the Premier Division, where Boulevard will look to pull farther away from the relegation zone.

They are just two points above the drop zone, but have improved vastly as of late and are unbeaten in the league since suffering a 4-0 defeat away to leaders Dandy Town last November.

Coke said Boulevard’s Cup triumph had done his team’s confidence the world of good. “This will certainly boost our confidence going forward,” he added.

“We are improving and everyone is learning their role and coming together nicely.”

Boulevard will look to continue their winning ways when they play Southampton Rangers at Southampton Oval in the Premier Division on Sunday. Boulevard won the first league encounter 6-0 at Police Field last month.

n The draw for the quarter-finals of the FA Cup will take place at BFA Headquarters in Prospect on Friday lunch time, and Flanagan’s Onions and Southampton Rangers will fight it out tonight at Goose Gosling Field for the final spot in the draw.

The two teams drew 1-1 at Southampton Oval on Sunday.

Onions, who reached the final last season before losing to Dandy Town 3-1, opened the scoring in the first minute of the second half through Michael Lyndsey-Bayley, before substitute Akale Bean equalised for Rangers in the 57th minute.