Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell: I never want to be a glorious loser

Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell has admitted his disappointment after seeing his side’s Premier Sports Cup journey with a semi-final defeat to Rangers.

Andy Halliday had put Motherwell in front in the first half at Hampden but Rangers equalised through Cyriel Dessers before Nedim Bajrami netted the winner to put the holders through to face Celtic in the final.

Kettlewell was left to reflect on a spirited and committed performance from his side but shrugged off any idea of being “glorious losers”.

“I’m bitterly disappointed,” he said. “I think everyone can see how much we poured into the game.

“We obviously got ourselves into a real good position at half-time.

“You believe that there’s always going to be some sort of fall-out, from Rangers’ point of view. You know there’s going to be a reaction. And, as I said to the players there, I never want to be a glorious loser.

“So I don’t want to sit here in front of anybody and start to make excuses or start to pat ourselves on the back because we get to this stage.

“It’s been a good achievement to get here. But we just felt that in moments of the game we probably just lacked that wee bit of composure and a wee bit better decision-making.”

The manager pointed to Rangers’ winner as an example of that decision-making but said he was frustrated that referee Nick Walsh hadn’t awarded his side a foul in the build-up.

“The second goal Rangers get was probably, well, it was a foul on Zach Robinson, I think, which the referee’s maybe acknowledged at the time,” Kettlewell added. “But he stays on his feet, tries to keep the ball alive.

“No criticism of Zach, he’s too honest sometimes. But I just felt that that was one that led to a square pass and obviously the break and the counter-attack at that stage for Rangers.

“But the next stage for us, off the back of what is a sore one today, is just to try and pick the players up because we don’t want a hangover off the back of a disappointing day.”