Stewart Downing has admitted that poor defending cost West Ham United during their 2-1 defeat to Everton on Saturday.

The Hammers' last home game of the season ended in a loss as the Toffees came from behind to claim the spoils thanks to a late Romelu Lukaku strike.

Downing, who scored his sixth goal of the campaign at Upton Park, believes that the hosts could have secured the win if they had been tighter at the back.

"I think we had a generally good game," he told the club's official website. "We created a few chances, took the lead deservedly and then they've equalised against the run of play.

"The goals we've conceded are disappointing as a team we didn't defend them properly and we wanted to finish here on a winning note so that is disappointing.

"In the first half of the season we were ruthless, but conceding late in games has cost us. With the points we've dropped we could have been in the top six."

West Ham play their final match of the Premier League campaign on May 24 when they make the trip to Newcastle United.