SCOTT PARKER was perplexed at the award of the free-kick that led to West Ham being dumped out of the FA Cup by Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Sunday.

Carlton Cole was penalised for handball after raising his hands to protect his face while in the wall defending another Potters free-kick. The decision gave Danny Higginbotham the chance to lash home a low shot from the edge of the box that Robert Green was unable to keep out.

It was to prove the decisive goal in the match, with Stoke running out 2-1 winners and securing a semi-final place at Wembley against Bolton Wanderers, after Freddie Piquionne had himself controversially equalised for West Ham, following Robert Huth's headed opener.

Parker said afterwards: “There were some tough decisions out there. Conceding the second goal from the free-kick, you can see he (Cole) had put his hands up to protect his face. I can understand if his hands were outside, away from his body, but how can you give another free-kick for that?”

Parker, who was named man of the match, believed the Hammers deserved at least a replay from the contest.

“In the second half we were under more pressure. You come to Stoke and the pressure they put you under in these sort of games is tough but I do think we still deserved something out of the game. But it was not meant to be.

“We will put this behind us and go again now, but obviously we are disappointed.”