West Ham manager Sam Allardyce insists being reduced to ten men was the reason for their shock Carling Cup defeat to League Two outfit Aldershot Town last night.

The Hammers led 1-0 at half time but a red card for debutant Callum McNaughton at the start of the second half turned the match around.

Allardyce said: "We didn't get our first win because we simply went down to ten men, it's that simple.

"When you go down to ten men it's very difficult to win a game of football or even when you're only 1-0 up to hang on to it. Even if the opposition are not in the same division as you it gives them a massive lift.

"We're 1-0 up and nice and comfortable and unfortunately a young man making his debut, who is doing alright, gets caught out and sent off. After that, they get the lift and we have to try and defend what we've got, because we're one man short, and we couldn't hold out in the end.

"It's very disappointing of course but I'm not convinced we would have lost this game if it had stayed 11 v 11. I think we would have gone on and won it in the end."