The first half we were excellent and played really good football

Last updated : 22 February 2011 By Tony Scholes
Grant, who has taken both Chelsea and Portsmouth to FA Cup Finals, saw his West Ham team move into the last eight and said after the game: "We were the Premier League team and people would expect us to win.

"But we knew it would be difficult, they are in a good moment. They have been playing well and they are good tactically. We did very well and made it hard for them."

Grant identified during the first half that his team would need to stretch our back four. "We spoke about it at half time. The line of their defence was sometimes too high. We had passed the ball well in the first half but not as many times forward as we needed to. We did that in the second half and it worked," he said.

"Stay up and win the cup is a scenario I would buy now," Grant added. This is our target. Our first priority is the league but it is good to be in the quarter finals of the FA Cup. We are coming to every game knowing that we want to win. We had a good run in the Carling Cup. We want the same in the FA Cup as we know we are one game from Wembley now."

It was a second defeat for Eddie Howe as Burnley manager and also his second exit this season in the FA Cup having gone out with Bournemouth. Reflecting on this heavy defeat he said: "We have to learn lessons from that defeat and not let it affect our league campaign now.

"We were a little raggy when we started to chase the game, but it's a cup tie and you have to try and get something out of the game and that's what we did. The lads are a little disappointed because they can defend better and that's what we will try to do.

"We have played a top team tonight and they played their full strength side, which is a compliment to us, and in the first half we were excellent and played some really good football. We had really good chances and if we could have got that first goal it would have put more pressure on West Ham.

"But it wasn't to be and we kept plugging away. The goal was a against the run of play and we were certainly well in the game at half time. In the second half that all changed. We were slow out of the blocks and every credit to West Ham because they took their goals well."

Howe added: "We didn't change anything at half time. We just said to keep things as they are and if we are still 1-0 after 75 minutes we can chase the game if we need to. Unfortunately it didn't pan out like that and the second goal was crucial.

"It was early in the half and I'm told it was offside and hand ball, so we'll need to have a look at that. We are disappointed to be on the end of that if it was a poor decision, but ultimately we have to look at ourselves."