Jarrod Bowen said it would be a “dream” to lift the FA Cup with West Ham after helping his side reach the quarter-finals with a penalty shootout win over Brentford.
Bowen was on target twice in the fifth-round tie but his goals were pegged back by two Igor Thiago strikes in a 2-2 draw, with the hosts eventually prevailing 5-3 in the shootout to set up a quarter-final tie against Leeds.
It is the first time in 10 years that the Hammers have reached this stage of the competition but Bowen insisted the aim is for the Irons is to continue the last eight and lift the trophy.
He told TNT Sports: “It’s a special feeling. Go back to the QPR game [in the third round] where our season kind of, I don’t want to say, started, but we knew that was the chance to really turn our season round and give us some confidence and give us belief.
“And we’ve done that in the Premier League. We’ve picked up good results. We’ve picked up good points. So tonight was the same thing.
“It was important to put in a good performance. We knew it was going to be a difficult game. I think that’s every every Cup game we’ve had has gone to extra time now.
“But we want to get to the final. We want silverware at this this club, you can see it up on the up there [in the stadium], how many times they’ve won the FA Cup and it’s a dream of mine to win it.
“Of course, we’ve got a long way to go there, but tonight is a really, really big night for everyone involved.
“As you can probably see, you know, confident comes from winning games. Okay, we didn’t win the game on the night, but we won it on penalties, which makes it a little bit more special to enjoy it as a team. The lads put their penalties away really well with you can hear it and see it.
“We haven’t been good enough this season, but we’re coming into the real business end of it now. We’ve got a big game coming up on Saturday. We’re into the quarterfinals of the FA Cup.
Things are on the up for us, but we have to keep doing it. We have to keep demanding it and keep raising the level.”
While admitting Leeds is a tough prospect in the quarter-finals in early April, Bowen insisted all focused would now turn back to their battle against relegation, which sees them sit sitting in the bottom three.
He added: “Leeds are really, really good side as well that will want to do well in the FA Cup. But, you know, we see what we’ve done at home today against the Premier League side. So that’s whenever it is is when it is.
“We have two really big games coming up before international break that we want to go and get maximum points from.
“But now, you know, it’s important to rest up, because 120 minutes is never good for the legs for anyone. But yeah, Rest up.
“Play the game on the weekend [vs Manchester City] play against Aston Villa, and then go into international hopefully with two, two results.”
