Russell Martin accused his gamers of getting the flawed mentality after watching his Rangers aspect being held to a draw when Emmanuel Longelo drove residence an 87th-minute equaliser for Motherwell.
“I believe we had been fortunate to get a degree,” stated the previous Southampton supervisor, who was appointed by Rangers in June. “Motherwell performed nice, we had been nowhere close to the place we should be, I'm extraordinarily disillusioned and damage by that.
“I've stated to the gamers … there's a default right here at this soccer membership, to revert to sort … when it's going rather well, everybody's all in … when it's not going properly, you defend your self a bit bit, self-preservation.
“It's a must to be all in, on a regular basis. We had too many on the pitch as we speak who simply did what they needed to do. While you wish to simply jog round, there's an enormous downside. A few of them need to drop their ego. I'll have a look at us tactically and settle for my duty [but] as we speak wasn't actually tactical, it was a mentality downside. We received greater than we deserved as we speak.”
But it was Rangers who began brightest, with residence goalkeeper Calum Ward palming a 25-yard free-kick from skipper James Tavernier round a publish within the fourth minute, and Kieran Dowell heading Joe Rothwell's nook over the crossbar. Attacker Djeidi Gassama, who began instead of Findlay Curtis in the one change from Wednesday's draw with Panathinaikos in Athens, curled a shot broad after taking a cross from Brazilian striker Danilo, who then clipped the bar with a shot from 25 yards.
And it appeared all too simple when Tavernier headed in a Rothwell supply to the again publish for his 131st Gers' purpose, after residence skipper Paul McGinn had shanked a clearance to concede a nook. However whereas harmful in assault, the guests regarded fragile in defence at occasions and within the twenty fourth minute keeper Jack Butland fumbled an effort from an unmarked Longelo, then blocked the shot on the rebound from striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos.
Either side had been intent on enjoying out from the again and there have been quite a few turnovers however little in the way in which of goalmouth motion, till Ward made a save from Gassama's header two minutes after the interval. Minutes later, Callum Slattery's whipped-in free-kick, after he had been fouled by Tavernier, discovered Elijah Simply on the again publish however he couldn't management his header.
Motherwell grew in confidence and new boss, Jens Berthel Askou, – a former teammate of Martin at Norwich – noticed Butland make a diving save from McGinn's low drive after the defender had burst into the field, with John Souttar finishing the clearance. Stamatelopoulos headed over from just below the bar after which, with three minutes remaining, Longelo burst into the field and when the ball was cleared, Johnny Koutroumbis returned it into the world, Simply chested it again, and Longelo drilled it low previous Butland for a well-deserved equaliser. And solely a positive Butland save in added time from substitute Tom Sparrow prevented a defeat.
The Kilmarnock supervisor Stuart Kettlewell lamented a “actually tender” pink card for George Stanger as his aspect let a two-goal lead slip in a 2-2 residence draw with Livingston. A double salvo from Djenairo Daniels and David Watson within the closing levels of the primary half had put the hosts on target for victory.
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Stanger was despatched off for denying a goal-scoring alternative by tugging the shirt of former Kilmarnock ahead Robbie Muirhead, who scored the ensuing penalty, earlier than the guests capitalised on their extra-man benefit when Scott Pittman equalised within the 86th minute.
“I do have complaints concerning the pink card,” stated Kettlewell. “From my angle, from the technical space, I truly felt that Muirhead had the preliminary pull on George. If we deem each pulls the identical, then is the foul earlier within the incident?
“However even at that, is George's contact sufficient for Muirhead to go down within the vogue that he does? Is it a pink card? We'll all debate it, some will suppose it's. I most likely sit within the camp of it being tender, I really feel it's actually, actually tender.”
