West Ham full back Jonathan Spector has admitted that Saturday s draw against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light felt like a defeat

West Ham full back Jonathan Spector has admitted that Saturday's draw against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light felt like a defeat.

The Hammers were two goals to the good and had an extra man advantage after Kenwyne Jones was sent off.

Many in the north east would have thought that the game was over, but strikes from Andy Reid six minutes before half-time and then Kieran Richardson in the second half left West Ham shocked.

"Yes (it felt like a defeat), there was a lot of disappointment and frustration among the players, especially after how well the first half had gone for us," Spector said, before trying to explain why the East End club failed to kill the game off.

"It is difficult to say. Obviously they came out in the second half and put us under a lot of pressure and we found it difficult to get out.

"If we had just been able to connect one or two passes, I think we would have been out and in on goal.

"We did it a couple of times, and we created one or two opportunities, but nothing that were able to finish and put the game to bed."

And the USA international believed that had either Carlton Cole or Guillermo Franco put their chances away, the contest would have been over.

"Yes, I certainly think if we score one of those, it would have broken their backs so to speak," he said.

"They came out really firing on all cylinders and if we had gone out and broken that pressure, it really would have changed the game, but we couldn't do it."

Saturday's game was Spector's fourth league start of the season and while he admitted he has been frustrated sitting on the sideline, it's the team recent showings that are playing on his mind.

"I'm not really concerned with my own form when the results aren't going our way. I haven't really given it a lot of thought at the moment, especially after a result like today's (Saturday)," he said before explaining how important it is to be playing regular first team football.

"I think it is frustrating for any player who is not in the team, but you just have to keep your chin up, work hard and wait for your opportunity.

"It would certainly help (to be playing every week. It will be a huge honour to represent my country on the world stage. I missed the last World Cup in Germany and I missed the Olympics as well, so I've had a little bit of misfortune when it comes to international football.