O'Brien ready for Reading

Joey O'Brien is looking forward to Saturday's trip around the M25 to Reading as the chance for the Hammers to get back on track.

The Hammers have been superb on the road this term, winning seven of their ten away league matches - including the previous four.

"We're going to Reading definitely trying to win, but it'll be a tough game because they have some good players going forward," he told West Ham TV. "Hopefully we can play like we did at Middlesbrough and take all three points."

He admitted he and his West Ham United team-mates were snot happy with the manner of Saturday's 2-1 npower Championship defeat by Burnley at the Boleyn Ground.

The Hammers uncharacteristically conceded two goals from set pieces to allow the Clarets to battle back from a goal down to steal all three points in east London. The loss was all the more galling when you consider Sam Allardyce's side out-shot Burnley 15 to six and had ten corners to the visitors' one.

To compound the hosts' frustration, they learned at the final whistle that a victory would have carried them above leaders Southampton, who went down to a 1-0 defeat at struggling Doncaster Rovers.

"It was disappointing in the end. I thought we played well in the first half and they didn't really offer much going forward," said O'Brien.

"The second half we scored and I thought we would keep pushing forward and get the second goal, but from their first real ball into the box they scored. Then, their first corner, they got another goal and it was one of their few chances in the game, so it was disappointing to lose.

"I think the first goal Matty [Taylor] had come off injured and if he wasn't injured the manager wouldn't have made that decision there and then to replace him when we were defending a set piece, but he had to come off there and then. That probably just threw a curve ball at how we set up and the ball came into the box and their lad got up well and headed it in.

"The second goal from the corner was another good header, but obviously somebody was meant to be marking him.

"The lads were disappointed because the news [about Southampton's defeat] was broken to us after the game and we'd have been right up there with them if we'd won. They haven't made any ground on us, so we have a chance to catch up with them next week.

"We played well and we've played well in the last few games, which is a positive thing. It's three points dropped and we dropped another couple against Bristol City which are disappointing because we should have won those games.

"I think we should have won the game against Burnley or, as a minimum come back with a point. Maybe in trying to go for the win we got a bit anxious and let them in the back door."