Cheap ref call frustrates ‘Well
Ben Banks at Celtic Park
Motherwell manager Graham Alexander says his side fell victim of a ‘cheap’ free-kick in their 1-0 Premiership loss to Celtic after a battling display from his men.
The Steelmen had several chances in the first half and Callum Slattery cracked the crossbar with one opening.
Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart also made a couple of eye-catching saves before Tom Rogic scored on the stroke of halftime, after the Hoops won a free-kick on the edge of the ‘Well’s box.
Alexander’s men eventually ran out of steam towards the end of the second half but it was a spirited display from the Lanarkshire side.
They sit fifth in the Premiership after the loss. Alexander was pleased with how his team carried themselves, but they were on the end of a poor refereeing decision from Euan Anderson.
Alexander, who was booked as his emotions got the better of him, said: “I’m proud of how my team came here and competed. They were playing an excellent team who are managed by an excellent manager in Ange Postecoglou, who’s doing a great job.
“I thought we competed with them for 90 minutes and we were in the game all the way. We made them work for the points and we had a couple of chances. Sean Goss is denied by a brilliant Joe Hart save.
“Then they score 10 seconds before half-time and those things can go against you. We didn’t feel sorry for ourselves and our discipline was excellent until the end.
“I always get frustrated about bits of pieces but I thought the game-winning moment was wrong. I didn’t think it was a free-kick. The bar was set early in the game with what sort of tackle would be okay, and that’s fine.
Every ref interprets things differently but then you take that as the bar, and I thought it was a cheap free-kick to give.
“It was a cheap decision but then Celtic showed their quality with how they worked it.”
The Steelmen have an abundance of injuries at centre-back and had to start left-back Jake Carroll in the heart of defence alongside Bevis Mugabi.
Ricki Lamie, Sondre Solholm Johansen and Juhani Ojala were all missing through injury and Alexander is hopeful some will return for Saturday’s match with St Johnstone.
He added: “I don’t think you can ever feel comfortable but the comfort I did have was in how my players approached the game. Celtic were quick on the counter-attack and could be in your box within five or six seconds.
“What gave me confidence was how our players stuck to our task, stuck to our discipline. We tweaked things after 20 minutes and credit to the back four, as it was obviously makeshift.
“The way players like Jake train, you know you’re going to get a top performance. I might need to give my assistant, Chris Lucketti, a fitness programme in the next week or so.
“I wasn’t too worried coming here about any difference in our team. The back four we had are all mobile and can defend on the front foot.
“Fingers crossed we have some players back for next week. We are a bit stretched at the moment. We are down to the last four defenders we have.
“Fingers crossed our medical team work their magic and we can get some players back.”