DEFENDER Jason Pearce says it's time for Cherries' players to "do the business", with the club's loan sextet no longer available to help shoulder the burden.

Reading quartet Alex Pearce, James Henry, Jem Karacan and Scott Golbourne have all returned to the Premier League outfit, while Max Gradel (Leicester City) and Jean Francois Christophe (Portsmouth) are also back with their parent clubs.

But rather than worrying about losing the loan men, 20-year-old Pearce believes Cherries' own stars have a responsibility to turn the struggling League One club's fortunes around.

"The lads that are left are well up for it and confident," the former Pompey trainee told the Daily Echo. "I think we can do it. We've lost a couple of loan players and have a pretty small squad again. But, at the end of the day, we're the ones who are signed and the ones who have got to get us out of the problem."

Pearce, who is nursing a tight left hamstring but expects to resume full training on Monday, felt the team's form over Christmas was good until the disappointing defeat at Brighton.

He said: "It was very frustrating that we didn't get anything at Brighton.

"To lose in the 94th minute killed us. It was really demoralising and we were distraught not to get anything from the game."

The young defender has been tasked with a number of different roles by boss Kevin Bond in his 20 appearances this season. He began at full-back before starting the past five games at the heart of the back four.

Asked where he preferred to play, Pearce said: "At first I thought left-back, then I got a run at centre-half and I enjoyed it there. I just want to play football and wherever I'm put I'll enjoy it. There's competition at centre-half now."

He is no doubt referring to fit-again duo Josh Gowling and Russ Perrett, who are nearing fitness after injury lay-offs. Both are likely to be in contention for a starting spot next weekend at Cheltenham for what Pearce dubbed a "massive game".

He said: "I've played with Josh Gowling and Russ Perrett and they're both quality players.

"One or both of them will come back and do a great job."

Pearce, who formed a partnership with namesake Alex in the absence of Gowling and Perrett, tries to improve his game by watching the likes of the former Luton player in action.

He added: "I look at Russ in training and he's very good on the ball and a strong player. He's very experienced and you can always learn from players older than you."

BLOB Reading trio Henry, Pearce and Golbourne have all been named in the club's provisional squad to face Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane in the FA Cup third round this afternoon.