The Premiership side went one goal down after just 67 seconds, when Wigan striker Emile Heskey fired home an cross from Emmerson Boyce.
Pearce said: “You don’t give yourselves a chance when you go 2-0 down after four minutes.
“When you go away from home you hope to keep it tight and quiet the home crowd down, but we did the opposite.
“Man-for-man, we didn’t compete well enough and in the second half we lost our shape trying to chase the game.”
