IT may have taken almost 200 games to finally see his name on the scoresheet, but unsung hero George McCartney was gutted his side lost out on three points at home to Bolton at Upton Park.

The left back fired in an unstoppable volley to give his side an 18th minute lead. But Kevin Nolan equalised in the 93rd minute to earn the Trotters a deserved point.

"The lads feel as if they have lost the game," McCartney said. "Football is a cruel game at times and everyone is just really disappointed we didn't get the three points."

He added: "I think we had it up in the corner a couple of times and we tried to cross it into the box, and maybe we should have just kept it there. It shows what can happen because we have got punished for it.

"We have to learn when to sit on the ball and play out time to the finish."

McCartney's only other senior goal came on his Northen Ireland debut in a European qualifier against Iceland in 2001. But he took his second brilliantly on Sunday, watching a looping ball all the way before smashing in with his unfamiliar right foot.

He said: "I think my right foot maybe better than my left looking at that finish. It just came to me and all you can do is keep your eye on the ball and hope for the best and lucky enough for me it has flown into the net.

"I don't hit too many so sweetly and it's nice to score in the Premier League and it was a good goal."

In a season dominated by injuries to key players, McCartney has arguably been the Hammers most consistent performer, and the 26-year-old himself admits his form is going well.

"I'm pleased with it," he said. "I've played every game this season and I think I've done consistently well. But everyone can improve on their game and I amcertainly taking nothing for granted.

"It is nice to do well and when the team is doing well it's even better."

Despite the late setback against Bolton, the Hammers can take heart that they have picked up points in the league, and progressed in to the quarter finals of the Carling Cup, without playing that well.

And McCartney insisits that with injured players coming back into the fold the side can only get better.

"I think considering the amount of injuries we have had, we have done reasonably well," he said. "We've got a big squad here, but the majority of the players who came in during the summer are injured. They are the big players for us on the day and obviously they are all going to be badly missed.

"The players who have come in have done really well to be where we are in the league. We are progressing nicely and I'm sure when the others come back we will be a stronger team all round."