Joey O'Brien admitted he had been his own worst enemy in being sent-off in West Ham United's 3-0 npower Championship defeat at Reading.
The Irishman had been introduced as a fourth-minute substitute for thigh-injury victim Guy Demel, only to spoil his day by being booked twice within five second-half minutes. The first yellow card came following an altercation with fellow countryman Noel Hunt before referee Neil Swarbrick reached to his pocket again after a late challenge on Jobi McAnuff.
O'Brien's red card was followed within 60 seconds by Alex Pearce's opening goal - two incidents described as the game's turning point by manager Sam Allardyce.
"Of course I didn't expect my day to turn out like that. It was a very bad day for the football club and for me personally getting sent-off and watching the boys concede three goals," he told West Ham TV. "It was a bad day at the office.
"To be fair, the first one was silly on my behalf. I reacted to Noel because I thought he left a little bit in the challenge and I think the ref had given the free-kick. Being booked, I suppose committing a foul so soon after the incident it was in the referee's mind and he sent me off.
"I was very disappointed because we were right in the game. We didn't play particularly well but we were in the game and looking all right, then I got sent-off and they scored straight away. It rubbed salt in the wound for me personally.
"At one-nil down you still feel you have a chance but we didn't really give anything after that so we're really disappointed."
O'Brien will now be suspended for Saturday's visit of Barnsley along with Jack Collison, who was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Jimmy Kebe late on. With Demel, Winston Reid and Sam Baldock also on the sidelines with injuries, O'Brien knows the remaining squad members will have to rise to the challenge against the Tykes.
"It's a squad game but we're disappointed for Guy because it looks like a bad injury. Saying that, Henri Lansbury will be back and has been training and Matty Taylor could be there or thereabouts. They are top-quality players so hopefully they can come in and do a job.
"The other results sort of went half-decent so we can't get too down because we're still second in the table. Next week, I'm sure we'll get a reaction out of the boys and hopefully we'll do the business at Upton Park."