McManus "Expected" To Be Available

Photo by Jeff Holmes Motherwell "expect" Stephen McManus to be cleared to face Dundee on Saturday after challenging his dismissal against Aberdeen. Willie Collum dished out his third red card and fourth penalty of 2015 when he ruled McManus had deliberately handled a Jonny Hayes shot on the line in the latter stages of Sunday's Scottish Premiership contest. Adam Rooney converted the spot-kick to seal a 2-0 away win for the league leaders but television footage showed the ball had hit McManus at shoulder height and Motherwell wasted no time in submitting their appeal to the Scottish Football Association on Monday morning. Manager Ian Baraclough said: "Stephen cannot get out the way of it, the shot has been struck with such velocity. He has not put his hand out, but the ball has hit him at the top of the arm, in line with the shoulder. "To be sent off for that, and subsequently miss games further down the line for us, would be a travesty. "To be fair, Willie has had to make a split-second decision. He doesn't get the benefit of a replay and, at times, referees get it wrong and you have to accept that. "We're all human beings and we all make mistakes. It's no different to me as a manager making a wrong decision or a player taking the wrong option; it's part of the game. "There were plenty of cameras at the match that show quite clearly what happened, so I would expect the appeal panel to look favourably on this one." General manager Alan Burrows added: "We will await further information and feedback from the association, but hope for and expect a positive outcome."