Alexander still upbeat despite ‘offside’ leveller

MOTHERWELL boss Graham Alexander last night insisted the Cedric Itten goal that saved Rangers from a first league defeat of the season was offside. The Steelmen had taken a firsthalf lead through Devante Cole, but Itten levelled with a header in the 72nd minute. There were no protests at the time and referee Don Robertson and his team of match officials did not see anything untoward — but after watching video footage, Alexander believed the goal should not have stood. ‘Although I didn’t see it at the time, it looks like an offside goal got them a point,’ he said after his first home match since succeeding Stephen Robinson as Fir Park boss. ‘It was only after the game when someone showed me the still and a bit of footage... and that hurts us a little bit. ‘It’s frustrating because you can only control your game and your positions, so if someone is offside, then you’re controlling it by holding a good line.’ However, the injustice Alexander felt did not take the shine off the pride in his players for their battling performance as they rose off the foot of the table and above Hamilton on goal difference. He said: ‘It’s good the players are frustrated at taking a point from a side who are unbeaten this season. ‘I felt the boys deserved a little bit more but it’s a step forward for us and another point on our tally.’ In Alexander’s first game in charge, he saw St Mirren get a penalty that should never have been awarded in a 1-1 draw. He will be hoping the decisions even themselves out over what remains of the season. ‘That’s not bad luck. It’s out of our control,’ he said. ‘What we can control is our performance and our work ethic. ‘I don’t believe in a “new manager bounce”. ‘I believe in the work on the training ground and the players being diligent, intelligent and humble enough to know where we are and work our way out of it.’