Pearce: We were simply outscrapped

Stuart Pearce had some harsh words today following West Ham's 3-2 FA Cup quarter-final defeat by Tottenham and refused to rule out one more attempt at cup glory next season.

Pearce, who played against Spurs despite an ankle injury sustained against Chelsea five days before, admitted West Ham were "outscrapped" at times by Spurs.

Pearce, who celebrates his 39th birthday next month. said: "Spurs scrapped very well and made it difficult for us. At times they even out-scrapped us and you have to hold your hands up and say 'well done' to them.

"I also think we believed in out own publicity too much. We thought the hard work had been done at Manchester United and then Sunderland.

"We have to be disappointed with the goals we conceded. We had to work hard for the two we scored but we gifted them a couple.

Pearce, who scored West Ham's equaliser with his trademark free-kick just before half-time, also revealed how close he had come to missing the match. "If it had been on Saturday I wouldn't have made it," he said. "It's thanks to the physiotherapists at the club that I played."

However, Pearce refused to concede that the London derby quarter-final was his FA Cup swansong. "Anything is possible," he said. "I'd like to play in the FA Cup again but who knows? "I would have liked the next FA Cup tie to be the semi-final but it wasn't to be."

Pearce has yet to win an FA Cup winners medal and said: "Anyone who says the FA Cup doesn't matter is either a commentator or someone who has already been knocked out of the competition.

"There are four teams left and it means everything to them. I have the hump because it means everything to me as well. Now I am going to concentrate on getting some treatment on the ankle and being available for the weekend.

"As for the Cup, see you next year perhaps."

West Ham manager Harry Redknapp was also critical of his side's defensive shortcomings. "You can't give away three goals like we did and expect to win games," he said. "When you give people jobs to do, you expect them to do them.

"The lade are very low and so am I. At one-all I thought the momentum was with us."