Kevin Nolan's hat-trick spurs West Ham United

West Ham United have registered a 4-2 victory over Reading at Upton Park in their final Premier League game of the season, thanks to a hat-trick from Kevin Nolan.

The first chance of the contest fell to the Royals in the seventh minute when Hal Robson-Kanu released Chris Gunter to float in a cross from the right that Jobi McAnuff headed over the bar.

Reading had another chance to surge ahead just two minutes later but Jussi Jaaskelainen kept out Pavel Pogrebnyak's close-range header, before Danny Guthrie fired just wide from 25 yards

Then much against the run of play West Ham took the lead in the 23rd minute, Nolan making the most of a mistake from Alex McCarthy to collect a loose ball and slot home.

© PA Photos / Clive Gee

Nolan came close to doubling his side's advantage minutes later, but this time McCarthy made a good save in tipping his header over the crossbar.

Sam Allardyce's side eventually scored their second goal of the afternoon on 34 minutes when Ricardo Vaz Te finished well after collecting an Andy Carroll knock-down.

© PA Photos

Reading came out of the blocks quickly in the second half and scored twice in two minutes to pull level.

First Garath McCleary drilled his shot home from the edge of the West Ham area with the aid of a deflection off of Mark Noble in the 53rd minute, and then Adam Le Fondre slid home Nick Blackman's cross.

However, the Hammers had the final laugh at Upton Park as Nolan scored his second goal of the afternoon in the 78th minute, latching on to Noble's through-ball before shooting home from close range, and then completed his hat-trick with four minutes left on the clock.