It’s a Hart breaker as Gers draw

Motherwell

3

Rangers

3 STEPHEN ROBINSON hailed under-fire skipper Peter Hartley for doing his talking on the pitch.

The Motherwell captain has copped it for claiming he found it funny Rangers defender suffered a broken nose in last season’s bad-tempered Betfred Cup semi-final win against the Ibrox men last season.

Hartley issued an immediate apology and is waiting to see if the SFA will hit him with a ban.

But the former Sunderland stopper put the pre-match drama behind him with a commanding display and a stoppage time leveller in yesterday’s 3-3 thriller against Gers at Fir Park.

Boss Robinson said: “Actions speak louder than words. I prefer he did that rather than say what he did.

“He has apologised and accepted he made a mistake.

“That’s the way to do it. Do your talking on the pitch, not off it.”

Stephen Gerrard watched his Rangers side go behind for the first time as boss when Connor Goldson slipped for the opener but he hailed the spirit of his side for fighting back twice, with new boy Kyle Lafferty netting two.

He said: “The boys responded really well to that setback and they are bitterly disappointed they didn’t see it over the line. It would have been a big three points for us.

“We have to learn and move on.

“I’m bitterly disappointed with the timing of the equaliser. It obviously hurts that little bit more when it comes that late. We were a set-piece away from taking maximum points against tough opposition.

“I thought we defended very well to their style in open play.

“But we haven’t defended anywhere near well enough on set plays. We’ve been done twice.

“The first goal was an unlucky one obviously. I’ve been there myself so I feel for Connor.”