AN EMBARRASSING FA Cup exit should spur Sunderland on to a European goal, says Republic of Ireland international Kevin Kilbane.

"We owe it to the supporters," said Kilbane, a second half substitute in the 2-1 home defeat by his old club, West Brom.

Wearside fans are growing restless as a season heralded with high hopes of European qualification turns sour.

But Kilbane, the only Sunderland player prepared to face the Press after the Cup defeat, believes the team are still good enough to battle their way up the table and win European qualification over the next four months.

He said: "I think it is a realistic target. We are 11th in the table and only five points off a top six place. We only need to win a couple of games and put a good run together.

"We are capable of that because we have enough quality in the side. I'm sure we will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season

"Of course everyone is disappointed about being knocked out. But we have to look at this as a kick up the backside and we have to give the supporters something to cheer about over the last three or four months of the season."

Kilbane, who continually suffers the frustration of not being able to win a place in the starting line-up, admits that a team who finished seventh in the Premier League over the last two seasons have not hit the heights in the current campaign.

He said: "We haven't been playing well over the whole season. We started to get it together around the home win over Leeds United in November and turned in a couple of good performances.

"But we haven't strung four or five performances together.

"Even when we've put two or three together we've gone to Southampton and Ipswich and have been beaten. We have to start eradicating those sort of performances and try and put a few wins together."

Kilbane feels Sunderland play better against the more accomplished sides, especially at home.

"I don't think anyone can put their finger on just why we haven't had a good season. The manager says the right things before games and everything is done right, but I suppose the players have got to take the criticism."

Kilbane feels sorry for the supporters, who expected a much better season and have backed the club to the hilt by ensuring full houses at the Srtadium of Light every fortnight. The attendance, on Saturday, however, was only 29,133, of whom 5,000 came from West Brom.

He said: "We haven't been giving the supporters anything to shout about. We haven't been going out and playing well in every single game, so I suppose they are going to be a little anxious at the start of matches.

"At Blackburn we started off at a different tempo. We started off well and overpowered them. Once we scored our first we just went from strength to strength and could have had six or seven goals because we played that well."

Kilbane was delighted to see England striker Kevin Phillips end a barren run of six games with a superb over-head kick.

He said: "It was a fantastic finish. It had Kevin Phillips written all over it and it was just a shame it couldn't catapult us to victory.

"He has probably been our best player over the last six games without being able to find the back of the net.

"Today it was a nice release for him to get that goal and hopefully he will be able to spearhead our challenge for European football next season. That's what we have got to aim for."

Kilbane believes that losing to West Brom will not dent team spirit.

He said: "I think that the team spirit is as strong as ever. The gaffer instils a lot of things into us. There are always smiles on the training pitch and the lads enjoy training and enjoy playing for the gaffer, Bobby Saxton and Adrian Heath."

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