Rangers 1, Motherwell 0

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5.15pm

‘Well were rather unlucky to go down 1-0 at Ibrox this afternoon.  I was fortunate enough to attend a "special screening" (ahem!) of the game at a local pub, and it looked as though we matched Rangers for the majority of the game before conceding a sickening late goal.  Same old story then!

Terry Butcher fielded the same side which defeated St Johnstone in the cup last week, with new signing Gary Bollan named among the substitutes.

There was little between the sides in a first half which had few clear cut goalscoring opportunities.  Our best efforts were a Craigan header which went just wide and a shot from Adams which curled narrowly past the post.  Rangers also had a few half-chances, but the interval arrived without either goalkeeper having been called into serious action.

Rangers began to dominate a bit more after the interval, with Marshall pulling off a great save from an Arveladze effort shortly after the restart.  However, there was no panic whatsoever in our defending as we continued to get men behind the ball and hit Rangers on the break.  Alex Burns almost took advantage of a short Berg backpass in what was in truth probably our only real opportunity of the second half.  However, just when it seemed the home side had ran out of ideas and that we would hold out for a point, Leitch lost possession in midfield and Capucho set up Arveladze, who chipped the ball over the onrushing Marshall to give Rangers a rather underserved three points.

Team (4-4-2): Marshall, Quinn, Corrigan, Craigan, Hammell, Lasley, Adams, Leitch (Bollan 86), Dair, Clarkson, Burns (Scott McDonald 74).

Subs not used: Corr, O’Donnell, Kinniburgh.

Booked: Burns.

Crowd: 48,925.

It seems as though Scott Leitch’s season could be over.  The ‘Well captain will undergo a shoulder operation next week which will see him out of action for up to four months.  TB said after today’s game:

"It needed to be done because it was coming out at home. Every time it comes out he has to put it back in and we couldn’t continue like that.  When he is playing with his kids, if someone brushes against him it pushes it out.  He would have loved to have continued playing for the rest of the season but we can’t take that chance. For his future life as well he needs it fixed.  He will be in a sling for a month and out for the rest of the season.  Friday was the earliest they could fit him in, believe it or not. We knew about three games ago that he would be needing surgery and Scott was prepared to play on.

"It is a major blow because he has been fantastic for us this season. He hasn’t missed a game and has been a fantastic captain for the club.  His contract is up at the end of the season as well so we will be sitting down with him and discussing that."

Stevie Hammell looks set to sign a new two-year contract with Motherwell.  He was quoted during the week as saying:

"I love it here and hopefully a new contract will be signed in the next two weeks. There is a two-year extension on the table and I’m happy to sign." 

One theory that recently did the rounds on the Motherwell Mailing List is that NO offers were made for Hammell, and also that he could be set to move into the wide-left midfield position recently vacated by Stephen Pearson, with Gary Bollan filling in at left-back…

A report in one of this morning’s tabloids claimed that Cardiff City are the latest club to be interested in Keith Lasley.

Cast your vote in our new Opinion Poll:

Are you sorry to see the back of Stephen Pearson?