Pearce Hails Owls Effort

City boss Stuart Pearce heaped praise on Wednesday following the FA Cup 3rd Round draw at Hillsborough on Sunday - and insists his side will have their hands full for the replay at Eastlands a week on Wednesday.

Pearce revealed to the official City website that he was pleased his men were still in the hat for the FA Cup Fourth Round draw, but insisted the tie is far from over when the sides meet again in just over a week.

Pearce said: 'The draw was a fair result, we didn't do enough to win the game. But, we are in the hat, and I told the players that this tie is far from dead.

'When we turn up again next week, we will have our hands full. Wednesday played quite well, the game swung from end to end in the second half, and we have our work cut out to get past this round of the cup.'

The City gaffer pointed towards Chris Brunt's in-swinging corners as the biggest threat to a City defence which the former Nottingham Forest left-back felt defended 'pretty well' against all the Owls, and in one instance Sylvain Distin, had to throw at them.

He continued: 'There was a lack of concentration, we should have got tighter on the ball, and it was a shame because we defended pretty well. Their biggest threat was probably from in swinging corners, but apart from that our keeper held everything and our defenders got blocks in.'

And Pearce was also pleased to see a decent atmosphere in a packed Hillsborough, in a weekend which the prestigious competition has seen a decline in attendances across the county.

'It was a proper cup tie, and what made it was both sets of supporters. We brought 6,000 fans and it was like a cup semi final attendance. Credit to them, and I thank them for that. We've got to make sure that we finish off the job at home.' he added.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.