Hitz and hope

Thomas Hitzlsperger was delighted to score at the weekend but admitted West Ham United face a tall order to stay in the Barclays Premier League.

The Hammers must take six points from their last two games and then hope results go their way elsewhere, especially after Wolverhampton Wanderers raised the gap to safety to four points on Sunday. Wolves travel to Sunderland on Saturday lunchtime and could be out of sight before Avram Grant's men go to Wigan Athletic on Sunday afternoon.

Speaking after his 78th-minute equaliser that earned a 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers, Hitzlsperger revealed the team were frustrated at not being able to snatch a late winner. "We came back from 1-0 down so you saw some very good things in the game from us, but we came into the game to win and we didn't so we are disappointed.

"We have no other option but to be positive. We lost five games but we have stopped that run with a draw. We must stay optimistic and not allow it to drag us down. We came back from being 1-0 down so that gives us something to go on again."

Hitzlsperger's third goal for the club was the most important, given that it is given the slenderest of lifelines to the Hammers. He is hoping he gets a chance to add to that tally in the final two matches.

"We needed to score and we haven't been scoring that many goals lately. I was thinking when I had the ball, 'shall I take another touch?' But I think made the right decision in how I hit it.

"I was delighted to see it go in. We had created many chances before that didn't go in, hopefully though I can score more in the next couple of weeks."

Even two wins might ultimately prove not enough to ensure survival, but Hitzlsperger said the team had to keep going until the end. "It is never going to be easy. Wigan are playing for the points as well as us.

"We all know it. We have to win our last two games. There have been other games, especially at home, we haven't won, but now we must win these games. We will be doing our very best to get the points."