Robbo raging as Well are dumped
Boss blasts match official as Rangers hit seven
Ben Ramage
Stephen Robinson blasted fourth official Craig Napier as “out of his depth” after being sent to the stand for a touchline bust-up during Motherwell’s crushing defeat at Ibrox.
Robinson exchanged words with Rangers No.2 Gary Mcallister and coach Tom Culshaw after Gers were awarded a first-half penalty and Well’s Carl Mchugh was sent off.
After a consultation between Napier and referee Craig Thomson, Robinson was also sent packing.
But he said: “Members of their staff came up to voice their opinion, that was it. I was the only one who got sent to the stand.
“There is a young boy who is out of his depth as a fourth official. He obviously can’t deal with it.
“I didn’t think it was a major incident. Steven (Gerrard) even said, ‘ Don’t worry about it, I’ll sort it out’.
“He told his staff to sit back down again.”
Rangers went 2-1 up from that penalty and Robinson watched a second-half horror show unfold as his team crashed 7-1.
The Well boss said: “It was so disappointing to watch in the second half. We certainly can’t blame the referee for four or five of the goals we let in.” Off the back of wins over St Mirren and Dundee, the Steelmen went to Ibrox feeling confident – but it was certainly an afternoon to forget. Rangers made their mark in the game early with a Scott Arfield goal in the eighth minute. Not long after, Alfredo Morelos sent a header flying over the bar. But the Steelmen managed to claw back control and Ryan Bowman got the ball to Curtis Main who tapped in from two yards. The hosts continued to make chances for themselves, an Ovie Ejaria shot hitting the crossbar. In the 30th minute, Mchugh went into the book for a challenge on Morelos. And it got worse when he was shown yellow for the second time just two minutes later for handball inside the box. It proved a pivotal moment – james Tavernier slotted in the penalty taking Rangers into a 2-1 lead. A corner just before half-time was converted by Morelos, who found the back of the net with a header from the Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos continued his red-hot form, notching his fourteenth goal of the campaign so far. Tough to find any positives but‘well were well in the game before the decisive penalty and red card. The fighting spirit from last season was worryingly missing after the Steelmen went down to ten. post. Both Rangers and Motherwell made changes going into the second 45, with Andy Rose coming on for Bowman and Gareth Mcauley taking the place of Nicola Katic.
Glenn Middleton sent a wide ball fizzing into the box, past Trevor Carson and found the back of the net to give the hosts a 4-1 lead in the 59th minute.
Arfield grabbed his brace, before ‘Well had one of their few shots in the second half from Chris Cadden.
Rangers’ sixth goal came from Eros Grezda who had plenty of space to swerve and fire the ball home.
And Grezda followed it up minutes later, getting his head to a cross from the right to seal a dismal afternoon for the Steelmen. Celtic Hearts Rangers Kilmarnock St Johnstone Aberdeen Livingston Hibernian MOTHERWELL Hamilton St Mirren Dundee PWDL 12 8 2 2 13 8 2 3 12 7 3 2 13 7 3 3 13 7 2 4 12 6 3 3 12 5 4 3 12 5 3 4 12 3 2 7 13 3 1 9 13 1 2 10 13 1 1 11 PTS 26 26 24 24 23 21 19 18 11 10 5 4
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