George Burley said he felt that West Ham's second goal was key to his side's 3-1 loss at Upton Park yesterday. The Town boss is still hopeful of survival despite the difficult run-in.

Burley said: "Their second goal cost us. They took a quick free kick and we switched off.

"Di Canio was allowed to run unchallenged and get in a good shot which was saved, but unfortunately the ball went straight back to him and he scored. That is where we lost the game.

"When you have quality players like Di Canio you cannot give them that amount of room to run and shoot at goal, he is a top class striker."

Burley feels his side may require as many as eight more points to avoid the drop: "I think we need 38-40 points and that is achievable, we still have everything to play for."

But the Blues' boss conceded that it isn't going to be easy to prevent a drop back into the Nationwide League: "It is going to be hard from now, but we were four points adrift at Christmas and everyone was writing us off. We worked hard to push up the league.

"We are still only three places off the bottom. We have got some tough games coming up but it can be done.

"We have got Chelsea at home and then Bolton away so we have got to look to pick some points up in the next two games.

"In the Chelsea game, we have got to compete first and foremost because, if we don't compete, then we are not going to win the game.

"If we compete then hopefully we can get the right result."

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