Hammers full back Guy Demel played his first 90 minutes for the Hammers on Saturday, but that was tempered by the mistake that led to Hull City’s goal

West Ham defender Guy Demel should have been celebrating his first 90 minutes in claret and blue on Saturday, but instead he was left kicking himself at the mistake that cost the Hammers a goal against Hull City.

The affable full back from the Ivory Coast has had a frustrating season, ruined by injury, but his recent return to fitness has coincided with injuries to both Joey O’Brien and Julien Faubert, giving him a belated chance to show what he can do.

For the 30-year-old he had mixed feelings.

“The form is coming, but that is why I was upset with the goal,” said Demel after the 2-1 victory over Hull City at Upton Park. “If I played the ball better it would not have happened.”

It was only Demel’s seventh appearance since his arrival from Hamburg in the summer, and it was also the first where he was on the pitch for both the first and the last whistle of the game.

Very important

“I am happy with the fact that I play 90 minutes, it was very important to me,” said Demel.

“For me, I made a mistake and we conceded a goal, so I am not too happy with that, but it is good to play the whole game with the play-offs coming too, so I hope I will get closer to my best form.”

The experienced African has shown solidity in his short spells in the team this season and also impressed with some of his crossing, and he insists that the team can come through the lottery of the play-offs.

“The players work hard all week in training and the most important thing is that we beat Hull and we are going into the play-offs with a good feeling and good spirit,” he said.

“There is a good mentality here which is important. We tried our best against Hull, but Southampton did their job.

“It is not that disappointing because we knew that we would probably have to get promoted through the play-offs and now we just have to be focused on the first two legs of that.”